


Firebird

by Mystical_Light6



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Amnesia, Creature!Bobby, Creature!Winchesters, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Semi-Human!Castiel, Transformation, season 6 AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-25
Updated: 2013-07-27
Packaged: 2017-12-12 23:44:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 29
Words: 40,744
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/817424
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mystical_Light6/pseuds/Mystical_Light6
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU end of season 6. Eve won the earth, Raphael won heaven and the Winchesters are nowhere to be found. All is not lost though. There are still those willing to fight to their dying breath to save the souls of the planets' inhabitants.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue: End of Days

The "End of Days" was not at all as glamorous as the movies and literature made it out to be, with the sides of good and evil fighting until one side was victorious and the other ceased to be.

The battle for earth was won by the monster creator, cunning Eve. Working unopposed, she turned the bodies and souls of almost each and every human who walked on the planet to become her new "children". They would then one day upon their deaths join her in her beloved Purgatory rather than find peace or pain elsewhere. Others, those who retained their souls and were therefore totally human, were placed in quarters. Unwilling sacrifices, handled as livestock. Trapped without any hope.

On Heaven's side of things, their great civil war ended and the archangel Raphael was victorious in his battle against his weak and undermanned younger brother, Castiel. Castiel disappeared from Paradise in a blazing ball of pure white light, shortly before earth was known to be lost. However, there was a problem with the archangel's and his followers plot - even though the cage could be opened to release his lost brothers and to finish with the unworthy humans left, their true vessels were nowhere to be found. No, the Winchester brothers vanished one day and were not heard from again.

Now, on Hell's side not much changed. Crowley, King of the Crossroads was still in charge, still the head-honcho. Hell however now plays very little part in the goings on of earth because "meatsuits" were getting harder and harder to come by. The earth was no longer the playground it once was for demons where monsters now ran amok.

However, not everyone was willing to lie down and die or turn. No, there was talk in reverent tones of a secret Human Resistance. If asked by the common folks, no one knew exactly who was behind it or how many were actively involved in the fight for freedom. Some days there was only silence and despair while on others an entire facility was knocked over and every man, woman and child was set free and sent off into the wind until the few were caught again or turned.

This is the way the world is now. This is the new End of Days.

 


	2. Saves the Day

It was an hour before dawn and the buzzer rang within the facility containing the local stock of healthy humans. At this early time of day, it meant feeding the cattle so they would be strong when their "betters" needed to feed at nightfall. It happened at the same time, every morning, like clockwork.

Unexpectedly, the door to the room holding the children ages 6-14 swished open and two shadowy figures walked inside. The room was dark and stank of old urine and hay. Many of the older children tried their best to shield the youngest in their cells from these scary people whom they believed meant to do them great harm. The owner of the facility, Richard Firestone, walked side by side with a dark haired pale man wearing an immaculate and expensive black suit who frowned in disdain at the state of the barn's cages. The children were in two cells, older kids in one, younger in the other, covered in filth and their clothes were threadbare at best.

"Here we are sir, fresh for the pickin'!" Firestone said enthusiastically.

The other man said nothing. He instead strode forward with determination to look into the cells. The more curious children stared back up at him. Their sad eyes and drawn faces would've burned a hole into the heart of any normal human but this man's eyes only stared at them impassively as he quickly studied them all.

With a surprisingly deep voice, the man asked, "How much for the whole stock?"

"The- the whole…?" Firestone stuttered. "Oh I can't part with the whole thing mister. I've got bills to pay-"

"You do not understand," the man said turning to the human in charge, "Willis sent me for all of them."

Firestone's eyes widened. "Wi-Willis? The Distributor?"

The mysterious man nodded and stood to his full height. "I was given very specific instructions, Mr. Firestone - to get this stock of human children by whatever means I am able to." The man reached into his breast pocket and removed a large, rolled wad of one hundred dollar bills. "I believe you would be able to start a second facility with the funds we are willing to give you."

After a minute of thought, Firestone asked, "Just the children?"

"Just the children," the man repeated and lifted the other man's hand, placing the wad of cash into it and closing his fingers around it.

Gleefully, Firestone said, "Deal. Hank! Fred! Begin getting the kids ready for travel."

"How long will this take?" the man asked, looking at his wristwatch. "I have a schedule to keep."

"Gotta be going somewhere Mister..."

"Willis wants the truckload by 7:30 this evening. No excuses."

"They'll be ready to go within the hour. Sir."

The dark haired man nodded and strode out of the room to leave the men to their unspeakably inhuman duties.

* * *

When the hour and a few minutes had gone by, Firestone went in search of the stranger and found him standing beside a black Cadillac CTS with an attached trailer for the stock.

"The children are all prepared for travel, sir," Firestone announced.

Dark Hair nodded and after reaching through the front window of his car to remove a long tan overcoat to put on, he walked with Firestone to unlock the doors of the trailer.

The children, all thirty of them, walked in a single-file line and took their seats. Once the last one was inside, Dark Hair shut them in and locked it.

After shaking Dark Hair's hand, Firestone couldn't help but ask, "Where're you headed to?"

"South Dakota."

"That's a good ten hours away. Have a good journey; roads aren't what they used to be."

"No, they are not."

When Dark Hair was in the driver's seat, he rolled down his window and shook Firestone's hand one more time.

"It was a pleasure doing business with you," Dark Hair said mechanically and drove off leaving a cloud of dust, making Firestone cough as he stood in the empty space.

* * *

The children had been told daily that they were never going to leave the facility alive but yet here they were, being transported elsewhere. They were cleaned for the first time since they had arrived and going somewhere new and undoubtedly worse than the place they had just left.

Susan Perkins tried to sit up straight and tall like her mama told her to but the bumps and shakes of the journey kept causing her to smack into either the hard wall or into little Chris who was sitting beside her.

"Where're we going Susie?" Chris asked her quietly.

"Some place new, with that dark haired guy."

"Something seemed weird about him," John (to her left) said.

Susan turned and shrugged but she didn't think he could see her in the dark. Just as suddenly as they had been driving along the bumpy road, the trailer just stopped.

"What's going on?" a little girl somewhere in the middle asked with a squeak.

The children knew better than to scream but when the door flew open many of them cowered from the early morning light and a few even whimpered.

"Relax children," a man's voice said, "you will all be fine."

The children looked up to see the face of the man who purchased them a short while ago. Where he had looked intimidating and mean before, he now stood before them seemingly bathed in the light of the sun shining brightly against his light coat.

"Who - who are you?" John asked.

The man turned to him and said with his graveled voice, "My name is Castiel. I am your rescuer."

For a minute, none of the children said anything to this proclamation.

"Like a superhero?" Chris asked in wonderment.

"Yes - like a superhero. Like...um, Superman? Please, remain quiet and we will arrive in South Dakota in a few hours where there will be safety and a snack waiting."

The children began to cheer but Castiel shushed them and shut the door, locking it tight.

"Can we trust him?" Chris asked Susan.

Susan wrapped her arms around Chris' middle and gave him a kiss to the crown of his head. "I think he's legit," she whispered joyfully and that was the only reassurance the little boy needed.

* * *

Castiel pulled the CTS up in front of Bobby's house and the man was already waiting for him outside on the front porch.

"You're ten minutes late, Feathers."

"Apologies Bobby," Castiel said as he climbed out, "the roads have deteriorated in greater significance since last month."

"And the children?"

"Despite being appallingly underfed they appear reasonably well. They asked me if I was a superhero when I announced to them that they were to be set free."

"Well I'll take care of the kids," Bobby said, "You go talk to that brother of yours."

Castiel's head leaned ever so slightly to the side as he asked, "Brother?"

At Castiel's usual head tilt, Bobby rolled his eyes and pointed to the house. "In the kitchen. Got another vial of that junk for you to drink."

Finally understanding, Castiel nodded and tossed Bobby the keys as he walked. When he entered the kitchen, Balthazar sat at the dinner table with his feet propped up and his chair leaning back on two legs.

"About time you showed up, Cassy," Balthazar said as if he had all the time in the world. Which he did.

"Bobby told me that you have more of the potion Balthazar," Castiel said, walking in front of his brother. He looked down at the table to see the usual small vial filled with some kind of green essence. Balthazar only nodded and watched as Castiel snatched the bottle up and lifted the cork topper so it made a loud popping noise.

"To Earth," Castiel toasted and tossed it back in a single gulp.

His face turned as green as the liquid he drank. It was dreadful! It was awful but...anything to help the planet return to its former splendor.

"Well, that potion should hide your humanness for at least the week. I'll be back around...late Saturday?" Balthazar said. He put his feet back on the ground and stood up, stretching his back.

"And Raphael?" Castiel asked.

"Still doesn't know you're alive. You're still safe Cas."

"Thank you," Castiel said, feeling the knot in his chest lighten.

Bobby walked into the room at that moment and nodded his head towards the stove. "Staying for dinner?"

"No," Balthazar said, "I'd better be off. While Raphie doesn't quite know where I disappear to, a little birdy told me he's getting suspicious. We're not really allowed back on earth until..."

"It was probably Margaret," Castiel murmured while peeking into the simmering pot.

"Well, got to fly," Balthazar said, clapping his hands and he vanished.

Bobby returned to business as usual. He pointed to Castiel and said, "Wash your hands and I'll get two bowls ready."

"All right," Castiel said, removing his suit jacket and sighing.

He quickly washed his hands and went to the table, sitting down. Bobby placed a bowl of chili in front of him and then sat down across from him with his own. The two ate a quiet meal together and listened for any of the children downstairs to call if an adult was needed.


	3. No Mere Boy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Italics are events that happened in the past.

To Castiel it felt like he had only just gone to sleep when Bobby was already shaking him back to consciousness several hours later. "Got a case for you Feathers," the man whispered.

The former angel blearily opened one eye and said back, "You know you have no reason to still call me that, right?"

"It still suits you, boy. Come on - up you get."

Castiel rubbed the sleep from his eyes and stood up from his bed to stretch. "What time is it?"

"Little after four o'clock. I want you on the road within the hour 'cause it's gonna be a long drive."

Castiel nodded and walked out of the room and into the bathroom and shut the door quietly behind him. He took a brief shower and as he brushed his teeth, he caught sight of himself in the mirror. He stared at his human self, barely remembering where the angel began and Jimmy Novak ended. It was all Castiel now, Jimmy long since exiting this world for the next after he fell. Castiel spat the toothpaste from his mouth and took a deep breath in through his nose and out through his mouth. He stared at his reflection in the mirror. Something appeared to be different… He leaned over the sink to get a closer look. Was that a gray hair? Castiel reached up and plucked the hair from his scalp and examined it. Indeed it was. Intrigued by the thought of this body aging, he dropped the strand to the ground and left the room to gather his clothes for the drive.

* * *

Bobby handed Castiel a protein bar and a mug of warm tea before he even walked through the kitchen door.

"What sort of case is it this time, Bobby?" Castiel asked, taking a seat at the table.

"Might be nothing," Bobby said, pouring himself a cup of tea, "but...I might have a lead on the boys."

Castiel's eyebrows rose. "Are you sure?"

"Not really, no - but a woman by the name of Jan Evans sent a message through about seeing someone and I'd go myself but..."

"I understand - you must watch the children as they are to be transported elsewhere today. I will...check it out for us and report back."

"Well, take the Ford - and no suit. Regular attire."

"I am not an idiot Bobby."

"Yeah right," Bobby says with a snort.

"I am still new to this," Castiel said grumpily, motioning to his body, "Maintaining a human body...it is difficult to remember everything, all of the time."

"Yeah, yeah - well the case is deep in monster territory so are you sure that one potion of whatever is enough to...?"

Solemnly, Castiel said, "I am sure. I trust my brother."

"Well, all right then," Bobby said, removing his cap to scratch his head, "Have a good trip son."

"Thank you Bobby," Castiel said, "I will...try to make it enjoyable."

"Found you a new CD by the way. I think you'll enjoy it on the ride."

Bobby reached into the drawer behind his back and pulled out a slightly battered, flat silver disk. Castiel took it and left the room to finish preparing his backpack of supplies which he would need for the next few days on the road.

* * *

_Castiel crash landed on the floor of Bobby Singer's study and the man in question came running into the room upon hearing the thump of a body landing on hard wooden floors._

_"Castiel?"_

_Castiel clutched his back (ignoring Bobby's worry) and grit out, "Where are Sam and Dean?"_

_"Out - I just sent them on a case." Bobby turned his head to take in the sight of something red pooling out on the floor below the angel. "Castiel - what happened?"_

_"The war – it is over," the angel said slowly, "I have been...cast out."_

_"Cast out? That mean...?" Bobby's voice echoed, bouncing through his skull._

_"M'human. That is not important though."_

_"It's not?"_

_"No - Bobby, it is about Eve."_

_"What about her? Cas?"_

_"Eve is alive. We must find her..."_

Castiel checked the rearview mirror and changed lanes with a sigh. His was the only car out on the empty road but still he believed he needed to follow the rules of proper driving which Bobby had taught him. He was an hour out of Sioux Falls and decided now would be a good time to put the CD on. While keeping his eyes on the road and his left hand firmly on the steering wheel, he reached into his bag on the seat beside him and rummaged through the pockets before finally finding the disk and sliding it in. He turned up the volume and suddenly the car was filled with the music of an eleven year old violin prodigy playing a lyrical piece by Beethoven. It was beautiful to his ears and transported him from this sluggish vehicle up through the clouds and into his lost home up above.

There were fewer creatures out and about during the early morning hours; they were more humans in disguise than anything else. He looked out his side window and watched as a group of wraith children butchered an elderly woman on the side of the road. Castiel willed himself to just keep driving.

* * *

After many hours and a few stops along the way to stretch his legs, Castiel finally pulled up in front of a rundown motel on the very outskirts of Helena, Montana. Two men dressed in ragged plaid and dirty jeans were sitting out front in twin lawn chairs with shotguns pointed at him as he walked closer to the building.

Castiel raised his hands and said, "Willis sent me."

The two hunters shared a look. The man on the left, an older guy in his mid to late fifties, went right up in Castiel's face and looked him straight in the eye.

"What's your business, boy?" the man sneered.

Castiel bit back a grin at the word 'boy' and instead said, "Codeword: Rifle."

The man gave Castiel another once over and slowly nodded to his companion.

"Open the door - he's clean."

Castiel thanked the men with a slight incline of the head before walking to the door - only to be stopped by the younger of the two men.

"Be careful in there. We don't know what she's been through."

Startled but curious, Castiel thanked the man for his concern and continued forward.

If the outside had been any indication of what was within, a normal human wouldn't dare enter a place where the back wall appeared to be torn off the building by something larger than itself or by a detonated bomb. But hunters weren't normal people and neither was Castiel.

"Hello?" he called out as he walked, "I am searching for Jan Evans?"

Castiel was just turning a corner when he felt the muzzle of a rifle against his back. A woman muttered darkly, "S'not safe lookin' for something in the dark, boy."

"I am no mere boy," Castiel said, turning to face her.

The woman couldn't have been more than thirty-years old. She was much shorter than he was and she would have passed for completely normal except for the red circle he noticed around the iris' of her eyes. Her body was convulsing with effort as she tried to keep her rifle level.

"You are turned?" Castiel asked and Evans nodded as she lowered her gun.

"It was a...foolish oversight on my part. Turn-turned my back for a second and...and..."

Evans fell to her knees with a groan and Castiel joined her on the ground, his hands gripping her shoulders as he reminded her he was still by her side.

"Jan Evans, what can you tell me about Codeword: Rifle?"

"I...I saw the bigger of the two. He...he was there - **oh God**! **Make it stop!** "

She brought her head down into her hands and she clutched her hair tightly. Castiel noticed that the nails of her fingers appeared talon like and sharp.

"Sam - you saw Sam? Evans, where was this?"

Evans threw back her head and screamed in pain and Castiel got a good look inside of her mouth. Her teeth were white and pointed like a vamp's except these were non-retractable - they were her actual teeth.

Castiel shook her shoulders, saying, "Evans - where was this? Jan?"

The woman stopped screaming and sat up straight, opened her eyes revealing them to be completely red and full of hunger. She lunged at him and Castiel jumped back. He grabbed her fallen rifle and shot her square in the chest. That distracted her for a second before he grabbed the angel blade in his belt loop that he still kept with him and stabbed her through the neck, effectively killing her.

Having heard the shouting, the two hunters from the door appeared at the end of the hall.

"What hap-?"

Castiel held up his hand to silence the man as he wiped off his blade and put it away.

"Where was Jan Evans traveling from?" he asked while getting back on his feet.

"She turn completely?" the older one asked.

"Yes, and then she attacked me," Castiel said calmly.

The younger tried to get a better look at the body. "What was she?"

"I am not sure," Castiel said, looking down at the deceased, "She was something that I have never seen before though it resembled something of a vampire. Please, answer me -where was Jan traveling from?"

The two men exchanged a look and the older answered, "About fifty miles? Went on a hunting slash scouting mission for survivors. She came back yesterday morning...different."

Castiel looked at both of them and then down at Jan.

"She was your daughter. Your sister."

"That's-that's right," the older said, "Name's Peter Evans and this is my son John."

"I am very sorry for your loss but I need to leave. What was the name of the town Jan was coming from?"

"Garrison - fifty miles, going east."

Castiel thanked them for their help and reminded them to salt and burn the body so Jan Evans might find peace. He knew that where she was going that was impossible but…

"Is this something about Rifle?"

The former angel of the Lord stopped.

"Maybe."

And he left.

* * *

The full drive took Castiel no more than one hour but it was already becoming dark, the sun slowly beginning to set. When he exited the car, the town was totally empty - no people, no noise. It was unnerving to find such silence. Castiel could hear the beating of his own heart as he began to walk around the ruins of a former community.

He got no further than the school when he felt the odd sensation of being watched from afar. Castiel turned but there was no one in sight.

"Hello?" he called, "Is anyone out here?"

He turned around again and, hiding in the shadows of the trees, he could just make out the large shadow of a man with glimmering red eyes – the same as Evans. Castiel took a step back to walk back to his car when the creature rushed forward at superhuman speed and pinned him to the ground beneath him.

Castiel couldn't believe his eyes because he knew this man's face.

"Sam?"


	4. Rifle 2

Sam Winchester was alive. His clothes, or what remained of them, were just a simple black tee-shirt covered with holes and dirt and jeans that were about the same. He wore on his feet the same boots he'd always worn. His hair had gotten longer – not too long, just a little longer than the last time Castiel had seen him.

And fangs, claws and deep, blood-red eyes – that was new. Sam Winchester was a very hungry monster if the drool dripping on Castiel's neck meant anything significant.

"Sam," Castiel said while struggling, "it's me - Castiel."

The Sam-creature didn't hear him as he snarled and attempted to bite Castiel's neck with his too sharp, non-human teeth.

"Sam, please - I raised both you and your brother from Perdition. We fought to stop the Apocalypse together. I am your friend - please stop attempting to eat me."

At that moment, Sam leaned back slightly and made a coughing noise deep in his throat. Through narrowed eyes, he leaned in and tilted his head slightly off balance as if studying Castiel's face.

"Ca...Ca...stiel?" His voice came out strained, as though unused for days.

Relief swept over Castiel like a wave. "That's right, Sam. It is me."

Sam blinked a few more times as he slowly took in the entire sight of his former angel friend. No one said anything for several minutes and Sam finally opened his mouth again. Castiel expected a better question to come out of Sam's mouth but instead he asked, "Whose clothes are you wearing?"

Castiel looked down at his faded green tee-shirt, covered by a brown flannel button down and shrugged his shoulders as best he could while still pinned on the ground. "My own. Would you please get off of me now; you are rather heavy."

Sam stared for longer than Castiel was comfortable with and finally moved himself so he was sitting on the ground beside him. Mindful of a dull pain in his back that his brain told him he was lying on a rock, Castiel pushed himself up to properly face him.

"It is good to see you Sam though in these circumstances...you can't help but think I am a little..."

"Disappointed?"

Castiel rolled his eyes and Sam sighed in response.

"Cas, man - I am also _so_ glad to see you but...your scent it's..."

Scent? Wonderful, so now Sam can identify him from the hormones being secreted off of his body. "I am human now Sam, fallen from grace," Castiel said shamefully.

That wasn't the answer Sam had wanted to hear if his deeper frown was any indication. "How long?" he asked seriously.

"About a year."

"Before...?"

Before? Ah. "Yes, before the earth went to...the sad, sorry state it now finds itself in."

Shrugging his shoulders, Sam said, "From your scent I thought you were something new that Mother created."

Castiel shook his head slowly, mentally calculating how far gone Sam had to be to begin calling Eve 'Mother' "No Sam, I told you already – I am merely human."

Both Castiel and Sam stood up and Sam slowly shook his head and then for no reason poked Castiel on the shoulder.

"I do smell the human on you of course. However, (he took another sniff) there is something…otherworldly about you as well."

_That_ was a revelation to Castiel. Perhaps there was a remnant of his grace remaining hidden in his body, lying dormant. He kept his face neutral and did his best to put it at the back of his mind to reflect on it on the ride home.

"Sam, if I may ask - how did you come to be here? Where is your brother?"

Sam furrowed his brow and looked momentarily lost. "Brother?"

A gust of wind blew from the east making Castiel feel displeased. He'd left his coat back in his car. Sam didn't seem perturbed by the cold but…the cold never really bothered him to begin with anyway.

"Dean. Sam, where is he? Waiting for you in the woods?" Castiel asked, watching Sam's face very carefully.

Sam pushed his wind-blown hair out of his face and left his hand stayed positioned on his head. "I haven't seen Dean since...since..."

Sam shut his eyes and squeezed them tight. He fell to his knees and Castiel followed him to the ground. He laid a hand on his friend's shoulder and asked, "What is wrong Sam?"

When Sam looked up again he put both hands on Castiel's shoulders and shook him while saying, "You've gotta get out of here, Cas. Right now."

"Why? What is wrong?" Castiel asked, looking at the sky. Nightfall had arrived without his knowing it and he was still several yards from his waiting vehicle.

Through clenched teeth Sam forced himself to say, "It's almost time for feeding and I don't want you to get hurt. Get outta here Cas! NOW!"

Knowing there was nothing more he could do, Castiel got to his feet and ran to the waiting Ford. He watched Sam's silhouette diminish the further away he went, his hope disappearing along with it.

* * *

"Repeat that again?"

"I said that I have located Rifle 2. He is near Garrison."

"Garrison…" Bobby said as the line began to fizzle out.

Castiel smacked the top of the machine and said into the microphone, "Garrison, Montana."

Cell phones were a precious commodity but Castiel would never, ever be able to properly appreciate the ham radio like Bobby. It was big and clunky and what he wouldn't give for a small object than this big box sitting on the passenger side seat.

"I will be home sometime tomorrow afternoon should I not run into any troubles."

"All right Feathers. See you then."

"Please stop calling me that." Castiel did not receive an answer.

* * *

Castiel knew that he was arriving much later than he'd promised as the sky was now a pleasant shade of pinkish orange. Bobby stood waiting for him out on the porch, scowling and his arms crossed against his chest. Castiel said nothing as he parked his car and walked up the steps, head bent low like a repentant child. The seasoned hunter said nothing as he turned and walked back inside of his house. Castiel followed and stopped to poke his head in the study/library where former police sheriff turned Resistance member Jody Mills sat on the couch watching the sky from out of the nearby window.

"Mrs. Mills," Castiel said solemnly.

Jody turned and gave him a grin herself. "Please Castiel - call me Jody. Mrs. Mills was my mother-in-law."

"Jody was just stopping by to drop off some supplies. She's staying for dinner," Bobby said.

"If that's all right with you of course," Jody said, making a move to stand.

"Um, yes - it is fine with me. Why would it not be?" Castiel asked, looking to Bobby for an answer.

"Great," Bobby said without bothering to address Cas' concern, "It'll be ready in ten. Feathers, you set the table."

Castiel gave Jody a fleeting grin as he followed Bobby into the kitchen. Fifteen minutes later they were all seated around the table eating and talking about their odds in trying to fix the world this time.

"It looks impossible. We haven't even got the Winchester boys this time," Jody said, now completely versed in the many ways the boys had saved the universe before they themselves vanished into the dark.

"Well it's getting late so I had better get going. Thanks for the meal," Jody said, standing and shrugging into her jacket.

"Thank you for driving in all the way from Cleveland," Bobby said, also standing and motioning for Castiel to do the same.

She gave both of them a kiss on the cheek (and Bobby an extra hug) and left.

When the door was closed and the kitchen was cleaned, Bobby turned to Castiel and said with a sigh, "All right Feathers, tell me what you found."

* * *

An hour later and Bobby poured himself his third glass of scotch since they had begun speaking. "So Sam's still alive?"

"Yes."

A sigh. "And he's been turned into some kind of blood drinking, vampire-like creature _and_ he turned Jan Evans into one too."

"I am afraid so."

Bobby snorted into his drink. "Sam drinking blood. Times don't really change much do they?"

"There was something a little strange, well, stranger - when I asked him where Dean was it took him a minute to remember who I was talking about. Like he had forgotten all about his own brother which you and I both know is not normal under any circumstances."

"Not even under pain of death would either Sam or Dean Winchester forget their own brother," Bobby said moving his glass to his mouth. He stilled his hand before taking a drink.

Castiel nodded somberly and grabbed the now half empty bottle of scotch. He took a drink and did his best to not choke as it burned his throat going down. The pain felt satisfying.

Rustling the papers on his desk, Bobby tried to find his map. "Show me again where he was."

Castiel found the map beneath a medieval tome. While he searched for the location, Bobby ran his hand through his beard and then scratched his head.

"Here," Castiel said pointing to a blip on the map, "a small town called 'Garrison'."

Bobby nodded while he made the calculations in his head. "That's, what, eleven or so hours by car?"

"Thirteen and half really. Why?"

Castiel gave Bobby a look and the man looked back at him. "Maybe it would be worth it to take some time off and investigate. You know, to see what their game plan is."

"But, Bobby, you would be exposed. Vulnerable if we are to be attacked."

"Maybe," Bobby said, really looking at him, "but I'm willing to take the risk. It's for the boys, Castiel - unless you'd like to share your next potion."

Immediately Castiel shook his head. "You do not want to drink of that potion Bobby. It is worse than...than the most disgusting rotgut you have ever consumed."

Bobby chuckled and ruffled Castiel's hair which simultaneously annoyed the fallen angel but also seemed to lift an invisible weight off of his shoulders. After searching for so long, they finally had a small kindling of hope.

Sighing and looking down at the map, Bobby said, "We'll need a week to shut down completely. After that - just the open roads."

"And a hunt," Castiel added.

"Right - just another hunt."


	5. Road Trip

Castiel packed the rest of their necessary weapons and supplies in the trunk of his car. He turned and looked back at the salvage yard fondly, hoping they would be returning to it in a few days. Preferably unscathed.

"I still don't see why it needs to be your car we take," Bobby said stepping outside and looking back as well.

"I prefer driving," Castiel said as he walked to the driver's side door. "I understand why Dean was such a fan of it. It's...relaxing."

"All right," Bobby said getting into the passenger's side seat, "Let's get a move on."

* * *

After six hours of road and silence, they stopped after the sounds coming from their combined stomachs would've frightened a bear. They initially fought over who would go inside the market but Castiel won with the argument,

"We just got back on the road - do you want to be some creature's meal so soon?"

"Fine," Bobby relented, "just make sure it's not human flesh, okay?"

Castiel answered by slamming the door shut and walking inside. _As if he didn't know…_ After an initial examination, he determined that this market was owned by several packs of werewolves. Castiel was hopeful that he would be able to pass low under their radar. Castiel walked up to the counter of a deli service and asked for two sandwiches with the works.

"What meat you lookin' for - we've got a sale on veal."

"Would that be...?"

"That'd be free-range, human stock."

Hiding a shudder, Castiel said, "I'll have ham – pig ham. Well, one ham and one roast beef – cow meat."

The man snorted as he wrote down his order and started slicing the bread. "You new in town?" he asked.

"Passing through," Castiel answered, watching the small crowd going about their business.

"Alone?"

"...With a friend."

The man finished with the bread and moved on to getting the sandwich set up. Castiel watched as he just touched the meat when everyone including himself jumped from the sounds of gunshots from outside in the parking lot.

"Damn it," Castiel murmured under his breath.

"What's going on -?" the man started to say before Castiel ran for the door.

A pack of werewolves, ages ranging from mid-teens to their 20s had the car surrounded and one unlucky male was currently lying on the ground with a bullet wound to the head, bleeding onto the asphalt. Castiel moved at the same moment as two of the older creatures. He just reached the car door when one of the bastards turned him around and raised their fist. Thinking the situation out very carefully, Castiel reached into his coat pocket, palmed his glock and pulled it out.

"This weapon has silver bullets loaded into it - would you like to take your chances?"

The two locked eyes and the creature backed away slowly.

"A good choice," Castiel said, entering his car and putting the key in the ignition.

When they were safely out of the parking lot, Castiel turned to Bobby and said, "I can't take you anywhere."

"They attacked me first - how was I supposed to react?"

"Not with shooting their pack alpha."

"How could you tell he was the alpha?"

"He was the biggest."

"Balls!"

Wistfully, Castiel said looking out at the road ahead, "I was looking forward to that sandwich."

* * *

Long after dark and Bobby had fallen asleep, Castiel pulled into the parking lot of a slightly rundown hostel. Unlike their previous stop, this one Bobby knew was run by former hunters off the radar, willing to still help those who wanted to fight. He had told Castiel earlier that this was where they would stop to rest if it got very late and happened to be in the area. Castiel could feel the exhaustion of the last few days weighing him down and using a bed for the night instead of the backseat was appealing to him more by the second. He took one more look back at the car before knocking on the wooden door three times and waiting.

"Password?" a voice said through the wood.

"Apocalypse."

The door swung open and an older flannel-covered gentleman stood before him, arms crossed against his chest. "How many and for how long?"

"Myself and a friend and just for the night. We'll be gone by breakfast."

The man stared at him. "You'll stay for breakfast," he growled out.

Castiel couldn't help but stare back at the man. What did that matter? "All right...done."

"Done."

Castiel jerked his thumb in the direction of the car and also moved his head in that direction. "I will just...go gather my friend then."

"Be quick."

"Yeah, yeah," Castiel murmured to himself.

He opened the trunk and grabbed their two bags before going to his door, reaching inside and shaking Bobby awake.

"Bobby - we are stopping for the night."

Bobby came awake with a loud snort. He took one look at the haggard look and dark circles under Castiel's eyes and exited the car, taking his bag when the former angel handed it to him.

"You getting enough sleep, Feathers? I could've driven for awhile if you were tired," Bobby asked when they entered the building. Castiel didn't answer him.

The owner led them up the stairs and opened a door for them.

"Try and keep quiet," the man said before walking by them and back downstairs.

Bobby and Castiel walked inside to see an empty bunk bed near a window.

"Do you want the top or bottom?" Castiel asked.

"Bottom."

Castiel left his bag by Bobby's designated bed and jumped up. Once he was settled, Bobby handed it off to him and attempted to get comfortable himself.

"This is only rest for a few hours - after breakfast we will continue on the road," Castiel said, turning over and facing the wall.

"As long as I'm driving tomorrow," Bobby said with a grunt, "You can navigate."

"Fine."

"Go to sleep!" someone across the room whispered harshly.

"Shut up!" both Bobby and Castiel said back in unison.

Bobby chuckled quietly to himself. "You've been around me for too long."

"I can think of worse things," Castiel said. "Good night Bobby."

"Night Feathers."

* * *

_It was hours after Castiel had suddenly appeared when the fallen angel awoke again. Bobby was sitting on a chair beside his couch with a shotgun leaning against his leg and the seat._

_"You're up?"_

_"Yes," Castiel murmured weakly, trying to sit on his own and utterly failing to do so._

_"We kicked your ass outta here weeks ago. What happened?"_

_Castiel looked down at his lap as the last few hours came back to him. "It was an ambush and I was utterly on my own. My own fighters, my brothers and sisters - everyone turned to Raphael's side after discovering...discovering..."_

_"You made a deal with the head honcho of hell?" Bobby asked wryly._

_"Yes. Raphael gave me one moment to repent and I spat in his face. And then he..." Castiel laid his hand against his chest and clenched it into a fist, clutching his dress shirt as if it was too tight._

_"He what?" Bobby drawled._

_Castiel's eyes shifted about the room, drawing out the moment when he had to state the inevitable. "My grace, it is...no more."_

_That got Bobby to listen to him. "No more as in?"_

_Castiel finally looked him in the eye. "Irretrievable. Destroyed. Gone."_

_"Gone - so then you're -"_

_"Mortal. And human. And alone."_

"Castiel? Wake up son, you're sweating."

Castiel jolted awake and almost fell off his bed until Bobby caught him and pushed him back.

"I am sorry Bobby. It was a bad dream."

Bobby frowned as he asked, "You have these dreams often? The bad ones?"

"Not as often as I used to. What time is it?"

"After six. Breakfast's downstairs and then Hank wants us out an hour later."

"Very well," Castiel said as he rolled over and maneuvered off the bed, Bobby helping him along. "Does it appear edible?"

"It's oatmeal."

Castiel grimaced but said nothing else.

Bobby took a long look at his companion and shook his head. "I'm definitely driving today - you need more sleep."

Castiel knew better than to argue with Bobby when he was right. "All right," he agreed, "But if you damage the car..."

"Jesus," Bobby said with a note of fondness, "of all the things you picked up from that idjit, it just had to be the car thing."

Castiel stared at Bobby for a second before he smirked and turned towards the door. "You coming, old man?"

"Old?" Bobby said, following him, "look who's talking."


	6. Into the Woods

Castiel was lulled back to sleep less than an hour out of town. Bobby wasn't exactly sure how he convinced him to choose the backseat instead of riding shotgun but he was glad the former angel looked relaxed with his feet up on the seat in the back. And Castiel looked like he needed a few good hours of quiet too. Sighing, Bobby's eyes returned to the road ahead and his thoughts drifted.

He told himself after the world changed that he'd never go off on anymore wild goose chases after losing the boys. That morning a year ago, the air had seemed a little off. Bobby wasn't sure of what was so wrong about it- getting up on the wrong side of the bed? His morning routine going out of order? All he knew was that in his gut sending the boys off didn't sit right.

And now, a year later and with a fallen angel snoring in the back of a Ford, Bobby was on his way towards a real lead - and something felt wrong again. He hadn't told Castiel any of this and he doubted the boy would believe him if he did anyway.

"Boy," Bobby said with a chuckle.

Hard to believe that only year ago he was as alone as ever and now a new "boy" settled into his house with him to help out the good fight against evil. When setting up a new identity for Castiel, Bobby settled with the old "wife's sister's son" approach and the people in town believed it for a few weeks until the monsters arrived en masse. And that was after he decided to trust him instead of kicking him out on his fool ass for lying to them about Crowley. It was trial and error at first but Bobby knew he was totally settled-in after the first cuss word left the angel's mouth. Yes, Castiel was going to be just fine.

Adjusting his rearview mirror, Bobby took one more look at Castiel as he turned his head with a snort, smushed his face against the seat and continued sleeping. He looks so innocent and harmless while sleeping – hard to believe this man was a former warrior of Heaven above.

* * *

Bobby parked the car next to a sign which announced that Garrison was only two more miles away. He looked to the backseat to see Castiel now staring blankly out the window with a dark look in his eyes.

"You all right, Feathers?"

"Better," Castiel said, looking at him and adjusting so his feet were on the floor instead of up on the seat.

"What next?" Bobby asked scanning the nearby tree line for anything out of the ordinary.

"Continue forward on foot?" Castiel asked with a groggy voice, leaning forward into the space between the seats.

"Sounds like a plan," Bobby murmured back.

As one, they exited the vehicle on opposite sides and met at the truck which Bobby opened. They removed their duffels and a shotgun each, made sure they were both loaded and prepared and moved away from the car to begin their journey into town. They walked silently, avoiding any and all fallen debris, watching the other's back. Immediately Castiel lead them to the last spot he remembered seeing Sam and then came the difficult part.

"Splitting up? Bobby - need I remind you of your vulnerability..."

"Oh shove it up your ass, Cas! I haven't died yet and don't plan on doing so for the foreseeable future."

"But Bobby..."

"Go you idjit - I'll be fine."

Castiel stared at Bobby for a long second, missing the days when with a simple touch of his two forefingers, he was able to put a human into a pleasant rest for their safety rather than deal with the fallout from their choice to walk into danger unprepared.

"Very well," Castiel agreed, "We will meet back here before nightfall."

"Right - we'll camp out in the car tonight and try again tomorrow. And if that doesn't get us anything we'll leave and put it behind us."

Castiel nodded and looked once more into the woods. Turning back, he said, "Good luck," and extended his hand for Bobby to shake.

Bobby took one look at the hand and instead pulled Castiel into a one-armed, manly hug. He pulled away and chuckled at Castiel's startled expression.

"See you in a few hours, Feathers," he said giving Castiel one more hard pat on the back and stalking off.

Castiel watched him disappear before going off on his own into the woods. The trees were so tall they blocked most of the sun even though it was nearly three o'clock in the afternoon and the middle of summer. Also strange was that there might've been a few passing insects but his search was mostly silent. Not even the birds were singing this far out. As his mind continued to wander, time went by quickly. Checking his watch, Castiel discovered that three hours had gone passed. Sighing, he decided to take a short break since his shirt was at the point of becoming one with his skin it was so wet with sweat. Castiel found a tree trunk to take a seat on and rummaged through his bag, searching for his water bottle. His fingers just brushed against the plastic when he heard a fluttering noise directly behind him. Castiel carefully moved his hand from the bottle to his gun and stood up, aiming his weapon at the intruder.

"Goodness Brother, settle down."

"Balthazar," Castiel said, lowering the shotgun.

"That is still my name. What're you doing all the way out in _Montana_?" the angel asked with distaste.

Checking the immediate area for any threats, Castiel whispered, "We had a lead on Sam - what do you want?"

"Potion time," Balthazar said, removing the small bottle from his pocket.

Oh joy of joys. "Thank you Balthazar," Castiel said while putting down his rifle, "I had almost forgotten."

"I best be going though," Balthazar announced as he looked up at the tree tops, "Don't want to be caught away for too long."

Balthazar tossed the bottle to Castiel who caught it and vanished without saying another word, like goodbye.

"Well thank you very much, Balthazar," Castiel murmured to empty air as he took the topper off of the small bottle.

Castiel tipped the bottle back and its contents flowed down his throat, entering his body. Immediately something was wrong. Castiel fell into a boneless heap on the ground, his body seizing, his eyes turning upward into his skull and, inexplicably, his back felt like it was being slashed by a whip of fire. Images passed before his eyes: children, adults, flowers, bees. All were suddenly washed out by a brilliant beam of pure white light.

He didn't know for how long this went on, it could have been minutes - could've been hours. Castiel tried to take a deep breath in through his mouth but it didn't feel like he let enough air in and began choking. He tried again to take a breath and this time he was successful. Vision returned to him next. Castiel waited until he got sufficient air before making an attempt to stand upright using the nearest tree to assist him in standing.

A light breeze blew past him but it gave him no ill effect. He stared around the small clearing and he was still alone and it was as quiet as it had been. And then he looked down at the ground. Where he had lain there was a charred circle that, as Castiel's senses began to return to him, he could detect the wafting odor of burned leaves and grass. He leaned over to examine it closer when footsteps had him looking up.

"Cas! Castiel! Where the hell are - oh, there you are." Bobby appeared and stopped before the small crater and leaned over to examine it. "Was this where the light struck down?"

This was news to Castiel. "Light?"

Bobby looked up at him and frowned. He leaned his elbow against his bent knee and rubbed his beard with his free hand.

"The big beam of white light that came out of nowhere that could probably be seen for twenty miles around? That beam?"

Castiel was speechless.

"You okay, son?"

"I - I am fine. We should probably return to the car..."

Both of them heard the twig snap and they turned, Bobby with his gun at the ready and Castiel simply eyeing the area.

"We should go," Bobby said, inclining his head in the opposite direction.

"Agreed," Castiel said.

Both of them turned to go when, right in front of Bobby, they were stopped by a young blonde haired woman with the same red eyes and fangs Castiel remembered from Sam and Jan Evans. The woman hissed like a snake and tackled Bobby to the ground and in his second of shock his gun discharged, shooting her in the stomach. He pushed himself away from her and ran, Castiel close at his heels before another person, a boy no older than eight and just as frightening with red eyes and sharp teeth, blocked them again. Bobby and Castiel scanned the area that was slowly filling with more creatures of the same ilk.

"This don't look good," Bobby commented.

No, it did not. They were utterly and completely trapped.


	7. In Charge

The creatures, men, women, and children, were coming in, inching closer and closer. The little boy with dried red blood caked to his cheeks raised his hand and was about to touch Bobby's arm.

"Hey!"

Every creature plus Castiel and Bobby turned as a new figure walked forward. In the dying of the light, Castiel could clearly see it was Sam to their rescue.

"Leave them alone," Sam said. "Go hunt elsewhere."

The small group dispersed immediately at his command.

"What in the hell...?" Bobby murmured as the little boy slunk away.

Walking up to Sam, Castiel had only one thought on the matter. "You are their leader?"

"What the hell, Cas," Sam said angrily, "I told you not to come back."

"Yes, you did," Castiel said while nodding, "but over the last year I learned something."

"What?"

Castiel looked back at Bobby before turning to Sam. "You do not turn your back on family."

For a moment, silence hung over the area like a warm blanket.

"Sam?" Bobby finally managed to choke out quietly.

Sam's eyes shifted from Castiel's face to Bobby's. A change immediately came over Sam as his shoulders slouched. That voice; he still heard it sometimes in his dreams.

"Hey Bobby - it's been awhile."

"Not that long," Bobby said lightly, "Only a year."

Bobby took one step closer to Sam and Castiel moved out of the way. And then another. And another. Soon he stood right in front of Sam before he grabbed him by the shoulder until he was at his height level and wrapped his arms around him in a tight hug. Sam didn't make any move to hug him back though; his arms remained pinned down at his sides until Bobby let him go.

"Sam, we need to talk," Castiel said.

"Then talk."

Castiel shook his head and gazed around the woods which were currently silent. "Alone."

Sam's red eyes roved the forest next before he inclined his head in the direction he had come. He walked off and Bobby and Castiel followed.

* * *

Castiel stared up at the massive cave, suddenly finding the all too real fear of the dark disconcerting. There's nothing rational about a fear of darkness - it's what's in the darkness that's to be feared.

"You going to be staying out here to get eaten alive by mosquitoes, Feathers?" Bobby asked from the cave's entrance. Sam had already disappeared inside and the two of them were just standing outside, waiting.

"No," Castiel said after swallowing around the sudden lump in his throat, "I will come."

A beat."...Your feet are still in place."

"I know..."

Groaning, Bobby grabbed Castiel's wrist and pulled him inside. After the darkness settled around him, Castiel felt his fears slowly dissipate. This wasn't so bad he thought to himself and also said as much to Bobby when the man finally let him go. They entered a large cavern at the center of the cave filled with hammocks and strewn garbage, and clothes - it basically looked like a teenager's bedroom. Except it was in a cave and it reeked of blood. Sam sat in a chair off to the side, his head bowed down and his elbows leaning against his knees. Bobby and Castiel carefully walked towards him while avoiding stepping on anything.

"I'm sorry," Sam said quietly but not looking up, "but I cannot help you guys this time."

"Why?" Bobby asked, crouching down before him.

Sam didn't say anything for a few seconds until he forced out, "Her will is too strong. It's taking everything within my power to keep her from discovering you two right now and..."

"It's all right Sam," Castiel said, laying a gentle hand on his shoulder.

Castiel suddenly felt warmth within his hand once it had made contact but the feeling quickly disappeared. Sam slowly looked up then and through squinted eyes, appeared to study Castiel. Sam didn't say anything but a small bead of hope glimmered in his eyes. "I'll trust you guys - always."

"So, you know then that Eve means nothing good," Bobby said.

"A part of me does. I can do one thing. I will keep my people to within this area only. Anyone who defects my order..."

"What are you?" Castiel asked curiously.

"Some kinda vamp," Sam said. He chuckled quietly to himself and looked up at Castiel again. "Kinda fell off the no blood drinking wagon when the one thing I need to survive is the one thing I refused to do ever again."

"Sam, where's your brother?" Bobby asked, pointing out the gigantic pink elephant in the room.

"Dean, wow," Sam said, shaking his head and running a hand through his hair. "I don't even know - haven't seen him since, well since I woke up to _this_ ," he said, motioning to his own transformed body.

Bobby and Castiel shared a look over Sam's head. Castiel opened his mouth to ask another question but Sam had one of his own.

"Cas, we didn't really get to talk last time and I'm not that sure it's proper to ask but - how are you human? I mean, last I remember, you were working with Crowley to open Purgatory."

Castiel looked upward to the ceiling and rubbed the back of his neck subconsciously.

"As it turned out, I was not the only one to think of working side by side with the leader of the pit..."

_Castiel brought the last of the necessary supplies into the laboratory and turned to see Crowley standing a few feet away, impeccable as ever._

_"Hello Partner," the demon drawled, walking up to the angel and adjusting the lapel of his overcoat._

_"Crowley, the moon will be in alignment a week from tomorrow and I have successfully collected the ingredients."_

_"Ah, about that..." Crowley looked into Castiel's cold, blue eyes and smirked. "I know you've got, well, everything on the line for me and while I do appreciate it - I've decided to put my money with the winning horse instead of the Canyon donkey."_

_After opening and closing his mouth a few times like a breathless fish, Castiel finally asked, "What, what are you saying Crowley?"_

" _I am saying," Crowley said, leaning into Castiel's space, "that_ I _will be the one tearing it down. Our arrangement? Consider it null and void. Caput."_

_Castiel had felt anger in his life but never in such a wave as in this very moment. He didn't even bother to question Crowley as he returned to heaven immediately._

"Once I arrived and was immediately surrounded, I know that it was all over. It was...terrifying to know that all of them, every single one of my brothers and sisters had turned against me. And I had already lost the three of you, of course."

Bobby looked at Castiel questioningly, thinking about how untrue that statement was. Castiel did still have Balthazar and that strange potion after all.

Castiel looked up to the rocky ceiling and wiped a hand against his cheek where he felt moisture. With a heavy voice, he said, "I welcomed death - I knew I deserved. I had avoided it for so long."

Sam opened his mouth to ask for more when his eyes widened and he immediately got up from his seat.

"You both have to get out of here right now," Sam said urgently.

"What?" Bobby asked at the same time Castiel asked, "Why?"

Sam looked at Castiel and grabbed him so tight by the shoulders that his sharpened claws almost drew blood.

" _She_ is coming."

Neither one of the humans needed to question who _She_ was.

"How close?" Bobby asked.

"Too close and coming nearer by the second."

"Why is she coming here?" Castiel asked. "Sam?"

"I'm sorry," Sam said shaking his head miserably, "I didn't mean to. I told you, she's _too strong_."

"Balls!" Bobby exclaimed before turning to Castiel. "We've gotta hide."

Castiel nodded and, not knowing what else to do, ran to a far, dark corner. He watched as Bobby hid himself behind a rather overlarge pile of soiled clothing. They waited as quietly the sounds of soft footfalls reached their ears. Sam returned to his seat and looked every bit the remorseful child as the young woman entered the dark room.

Neither Castiel nor Bobby knew what Eve's new vessel looked like. Castiel had the better view of the two and took in every part of her to keep it in his memory. This girl was a few years older than the last and had olive skin and darker hair than the other. Average height, average weight too. She had a distinctive Mediterranean look about her - if he had to guess, he'd peg her to be of either Italian or Greek descent.

Sam fell down to his knees and bowed his head low to the floor. "Mother," he said.

"Good evening, my son." She placed a hand under his chin and slowly Sam raised himself up to meet her eye to eye. "How are you this evening, Samuel?"

"I am well."

"And your nest? Where is everyone?"

"Hunting - just as you wished us to do."

"That is very good, son," she said, smiling sweetly. Eve moved her face closer to his and cupped the side of his cheek with the same hand she'd placed under his chin. "And has anyone come to visit you recently?"

Castiel held his breath, willing this creature to leave before...

"No."

Too defiant Sam.

"Are you sure - because I can smell something .there."

Castiel saw that her eyes landed on the pile of clothes rather than his corner.

"I know you're over there human," Eve said, turning her body to face the hiding spot. "If you come out quietly I will not send my son here to get you himself."

No one moved for several tense seconds but Bobby slowly rose and raised his gun to defend himself, knowing full well it would have absolutely no effect.

"Well, Bobby Singer..."

"Eve - or do you prefer Mother of All?"

Eve smirked. "You know that gun won't do a thing to me or my child."

"No, it won't - but I always told myself that if you're gonna go out, go out swinging."

Bobby pulled the slide and shot her, repeating the process four times in rapid succession. Eve looked down at the bullet holes in her tee-shirt in annoyance before transporting herself right in front of Bobby. She grabbed the wrist holding the gun and squeezed it tightly, making him drop the weapon. Eve leaned her head into Bobby's neck and bit him.

"NO!" Castiel shouted, running out from his corner but Eve and Bobby were already gone.

Vanished into thin air.


	8. Mothers

"Cas. Cas - are you still there?"

Slowly Castiel's mind came back to him. He was still standing in the cave. It was still pitch dark. Bobby was still kidnapped by Eve...

"Cas?"

Barely holding back the urge to vomit, Castiel said, "Bobby has been taken, Sam. Taken by Eve…and you just stood there! How are you being so calm over this?"

Sam looked off to the side and shrugged his shoulders. "Boy - the roles really have reversed here, haven't they? I'm calm because, I don't know, Mother is happy - she has a new child to watch over."

"Eve is a mother to no one," Castiel said.

Moving into Castiel's personal space, Sam said threateningly, "She created me."

"John and Mary Winchester created you and Azazel marked you for his needs. Eve only succeeded in marking you again."

"She made me better!"

"No Sam, she did not," Castiel said, a note of finality in his voice.

Sam's eyes shrunk into slits and he pushed Castiel by the shoulders with all of his might into the nearest cave wall. Castiel struck it so hard that the walls shook and some of the smaller rocks fell from the ceiling. He rubbed his hand over the back of his head and only felt a lump instead of blood.

"Cas - you okay?" Sam asked, taking one tentative step forward and stopping.

"Yes," Castiel said, before uttering a quiet, "ouch."

Boy, taking this trip was certainly the worst idea Castiel had ever had. And that included agreeing to help Crowley open Purgatory! He was tired. He was in pain. Before he knew what his mouth was doing, Castiel proclaimed, "I have to return home."

Sam stared at his old friend in disbelief. "Home? What home?"

"Bobby's place - I have been staying with him since my fall and...the children. I must return and help the children to safety."

Castiel turned and walked out of the cave without saying anything else to Sam, without really paying attention to anything. No, Castiel only knew that he had to return to Sioux Falls and continue the work that he and Bobby were doing. Others counted on Bobby - now they needed to rely on Castiel.

"Bobby, I will not let anyone down," Castiel murmured when he finally reached the car and began the long drive back.

* * *

He drove for two days straight, only stopping to get gas for the car three times along the way. The big house was so… empty. Castiel walked inside and immediately one of the telephones on the wall began to ring. Putting his keys into his pocket, Castiel answered, saying, "Stewart."

"Stewart? _Cas?_ " It was Jody Mills.

"Hello, Jody," Castiel said heavily, falling into the chair at the kitchen table.

"Well you boys are home fast," she said. "So, were you successful? Did you find Sam? Is he okay?"

"Jody..." Castiel didn't want to tell her but he knew that he had to; she was the only one in the area that could help.

Sensing something was off, she asked, "What's wrong, Cas?"

"Can you come by the yard? I need to talk to you, face to face."

There was silence on the other end of the line. "I'll be there in five."

"Thank you."

Castiel pushed the end button and laid the headset on the table. He rubbed his face with his free hand and waited.

* * *

Bobby came back to consciousness slowly. His body felt like it was on fire while only his shoulder remained strangely numb where Eve had…. Now, being a seasoned hunter in his late 50s, Bobby always knew that some creature would likely off him one day and his mind would just shut down as he slowly drifted towards that great salvage yard in the sky. Today it felt like Bobby was awakening for the first time.

"Oh good," a female voice crowed, "you're awake, _my son_."

Bobby struggled but his arms and legs were strapped securely to a hard, metal table. "You listen here, she-bitch, let me out of here or I swear to Go-"

"Uh, uh," Eve said, running her hands through Bobby's hair, "Now is not the time for talking."

Bobby's mouth immediately shut and, as she continued running her hands through his hair, his expression went from angered to detached calm.

"That's right," she said, giving him a motherly kiss on the forehead.

Bobby tested his mouth and found it to work. Brokenly, he asked, "What did you do to me?"

Eve leaned over to his ear and whispered, "I've saved you. You'll see - I've made you better."

She gave him one last pat on the head and left whatever room he was trapped in, tied to a table like a fool about to sacrificed.

* * *

Castiel didn't even bother to stand when he heard the knock on the front door.

"It is open," he called from the seat he hadn't moved from at the kitchen table.

The door creaked open and Jody Mills' head poked inside. "Shout a room," she called from the hallway.

"Kitchen."

Jody walked in carrying a large plate covered in foil.

"Hey Cas; Bobby in the john?" she asked, putting the plate on the table and taking the seat across from him. She removed the foil revealing a plate of homemade peanut butter cookies, Castiel's favorite. Jody handed him one and he nibbled on it absentmindedly before sighing and telling Jody everything that had happened - the car trip, finding Sam again, Bobby being taken captive. By the end Castiel had eaten three more cookies and wished he had a glass of milk. Instead Jody went to the cabinet and grabbed two empty tumblers and found a bottle of bourbon for them to share.

"I have failed, Jody," Castiel said, putting his head into his hands.

"You haven't failed yet, Cas," Jody said, drinking a swig of the liquid.

"I promised myself that I would keep Bobby safe in the same way he has done so for me and now he is…I don't even know where. How is that not a failure?"

"Well, look at it this way then," she said, leaning back in her seat, "you haven't got his body so don't think about him as dead. You both thought the boys were gone but, look, you found one of them. For all you know, Dean might be in the same place as Bobby and they'll bust each other out to find and help you fix the planet again."

Castiel chuckled as he drank."I wish I had your optimism."

"It pays to look on the bright side once in -"

She stopped talking when they both heard the sound of someone knocking on the front door again. Jody and Castiel shared a look as the knocking began again.

"Did you ensure no one followed you here?" Castiel asked.

"Of course," Jody answered.

The knocking occurred a third time followed by a voice saying as loudly as it dared, "Cas?"

"I know that voice," Jody said with a frown.

Castiel stood and walked the short distance to the hallway. He grabbed his angel sword and turned the knob, opening the door. There, on the threshold, was Sam. "Sam, what are you...?"

Castiel didn't know whether to ask what he was doing here or what he was wearing. Aside from the fact that Sam wore fairly decent clothing, he also had on sunglasses to hide his red eyes and gloves to hide his claw-like fingernails.

"I...I want to help you Cas," Sam said, "I want to help you save the world."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to draw a parallel between Eve being a mother and Jody. I hope you are all still enjoying the story. Thanks very much for reading. :)


	9. Take a Deep Breath

Jody tried not to stare at Sam as he currently sat across the room from her – she was safely behind Bobby's desk and he was on the couch. Castiel walked back into the room holding a tray with three mugs of warm tea on it, the remaining cookies, sugar in one container and honey in another. After putting down the tray and taking up a cup for himself, Castiel leaned against Jody's seat and said, "It is not as though I am not happy to see you here Sam because I truly am, it is only that -"

"You can't trust me?" Sam said, finally removing the sunglasses.

Jody almost jumped in fright at the sight of his eyes – they appeared to actually glow red.

Sam sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "I - I don't want to be a monster anymore, Cas. I want to save people again. Maybe if we can stop Moth... _Eve_ then the people on the planet will somehow be able to revert back to normal?"

While Castiel contemplated the likelihood of that happening, Jody lifted her cookie plate and asked, "You want a cookie, Sam? Castiel says they're the best thing he's ever tasted and, while I know that an angel would never lie, he's always so inhumanly polite that..."

"You do not like my complementing your cookies?" Castiel asked, turning to look at her.

"Hey, all I'm saying," she said, putting down the plate and grabbing a mug for herself, "is that my husband would gag down my cookies or try to give them to the dog. I know for a fact I don't use enough brown sugar or baking soda and that this batch had a distressingly small amount of peanut butter to add into the batter in the first place. You ate three!"

"And that is a problem? Have I done something wrong?"

"Guys?" Sam said.

"I enjoy your cooking."

"No one enjoys my cooking!"

"You're seriously having an argument about this _now_?" Sam asked and Jody and Castiel both shut their mouths and looked at him. "There are a hundred other things that we need to think about like the human-race and Bobby. Keep focused."

"He's right you know," a new voice said.

Sam jumped out of his seat and began to snarl. Jody moved to stand up as well but Castiel forced her back into her chair. "It's all right. It's just -"

"Balthazar, at your service," the angel said, walking up to Jody and giving her a kiss on the back of the hand. "Enchanté."

"What are you doing here Balthazar?" Castiel asked, watching Sam through the corner of his eye.

"Time for another potion…" Balthazar said, rummaging through his pockets.

"Already?"

"Potion?" both Jody and Sam asked as Sam tensely retook his seat.

"Yes and, might I say Sam, _that_ is not a good look for you," Balthazar said giving Sam a once over. Sam gave the angel a mighty glare in return that began a staring contest that Castiel did not want to have to endure.

"Balthazar," he said with a sigh, "The potion please?"

"Ah, right," Balthazar said, returning to his pockets. "Aha, found you, you cheeky little devil." He tossed the bottle to Castiel who swallowed hollowly as he removed the cork topper.

_POP!_

Castiel gulped down the liquid and right away his body felt like it was lit on fire from within. His eyes went up into his head and he collapsed to the ground into a dead faint. Immediately Jody and Sam moved to check on him but Balthazar held them both back telekinetically.

"He will awaken in due time."

"What the hell is going on, Balthazar?" Sam asked, trying to break free, "What did you just give him?"

"A necessary potion."

"What'd it do to him?" Jody asked.

Not giving her an answer, Balthazar leaned over Castiel's prone form. He placed two careful fingers to his brother's neck and removed them a second later. "He's got a pulse so that's good but he'll be out for the night though. Should be awake sometime tomorrow afternoon I suppose."

"You suppose?" Sam said, trying to reign in his fury.

"That's right…eh, give or take. Now if you'll excuse me but I have to be going because Raphael is calling for a special meeting of us lower ranking angels and I have to play the part of a good minion so...ta!"

The angel clapped his hands, releasing Sam and Jody and vanished without saying another word.

"You okay, Jody?" Sam asked, turning to look out the window and then down at Cas.

"I think so."

"Jody...does Bobby still have the panic room?"

"Yeah, it's still downstairs. Why?"

Sam moved closer to Castiel and lifted him off of the floor and held him in his arms. "I'm going to spend the night with Cas in there, keeping us safe. Here's what I'll need..."

* * *

Three days. He had been kidnapped and tied to this damn table for three straight days. No food. No water. And, honestly, Bobby didn't even feel like he needed it. He felt coiled like a spring, ready to go at a moment's notice. Was it something deep inside of him needing to survive or was it Eve's doing? He heard a rattling noise and a second later the shackles on his arms were removed. As Bobby sat up, the ones around his ankles were taken off as well and there was a young woman who appeared to be in her late teens with wide, doe-like eyes looking up at him.

"Who're you?" Bobby asked, more harshly than he'd intended.

"Christie. Um, sir."

Trying for a more gentle voice, Bobby then asked, "Why're you opening the cuffs then, Christie?"

Stuttering in fear as she spoke, the girl said, "Eve, no, Mother asked of it. She wishes to speak with you right away."

"Mother wants me?" Bobby asked and belatedly realized that he'd said 'Mother' instead of 'that bitch'.

"Yes sir," she said inclining her head, "this way."

Christie led Bobby out of his room and into a brightly lit hallway full of closed doors. It was almost like walking down the hall of a clinic in one of those hospital horror movies. The lights were disconcerting to Bobby after he'd only been in a dark room since he'd awakened. Behind one of the doors, something let out a loud roar that sounded part human and part...something else.

"This one," the girl said once they'd reached the end of the line.

They walked through the large door at the end of the hallway and Bobby stopped at the entrance. The room could fit a high school football stadium inside it was so large. There were elaborate paintings of mutilations and creatures of all forms slaughtering humans hanging along the wall together with hanging lit torches and no roof to the room, only the open sky above. It was like something out of one of those dungeon torture chambers from the Inquisition. On the far side of the room, Eve herself was seated on a throne made of carved rock wearing a long white dress with a very low neckline.

"Here he is Mother, as you requested," Christie said, bowing before Eve.

"Thank you child," Eve said, benevolently, "You may return to your quarters."

Christie nodded as she stood and left without making eye contact with anyone. Bobby looked at Eve and she into him. Eve raised a hand and beckoned him forward.

"Come," she said and Bobby moved towards her. He stopped before her throne and fell to one knee and bowed his head. Eve's hand gently cupped the side of his face and he looked up.

"I have something I would like you to do, son."

* * *

Castiel hated it when he fell unconscious. The few times it had happened always left him feeling open to an attack which was never good. He groaned into a pillow he was lying on and tried to sit up but was too weak to do so by himself. Strangely his back felt as though it was on fire once again even though he felt cool ground beneath him.

"Easy Cas," a voice said to his left.

Castiel shifted his entire body to the side and, sitting on a metal cot, was Sam.

"You okay?" Sam asked.

"M'fine," Castiel murmured before taking a deep breath in and letting it go slowly. The potion appeared to be having a worsening effect on him. Perhaps the dosage of whatever was in it had increased.

"You gave Jody and me a scare with that fainting act. Thought something bad happened. What's with the potion, Cas?"

"I don't know exactly, Sam. Balthazar has been bringing it to me on intervals since shortly after my fall. He told me that its contents allow me to pass myself off as nonhuman. It has been particularly helpful when dealing with the corrupted denizens of society."

"Mhm," Sam murmured in consent, "makes sense."

Castiel looked at Sam, really looked at him and frowned. There was a sheen of sweat against his brow and his whole body was shaking. He remembered seeing these symptoms before with Sam, awhile ago. Withdrawal.

"Sam, how long have I been unconscious?"

"A day and a half."

"And have you...eaten, at all in that time?"

Both of them already knew the answer to that and therefore neither waited for any response. Castiel looked at the walls and then spotted the Bo Derek poster.

"We are in the Panic Room. How were you able to come inside?"

"Very carefully. All I've done since we got here was sit in this one spot and not touch anything." Sam chuckled. "You're a very boring sleeper you know."

"No nightmares?"

"No - why, do you have a lot of those?"

"...No."

Sam gave Castiel a condescending look. "Cas..."

"Do not ask me to talk about them Sam. What about you, do you still have nightmares in your transformed state?"

Sam snorted. "Every day is a walking nightmare. When we sleep though it's… _different_."

Castiel sat up and took in Sam's still slouched and shivering form. "Sam, are you all right?"

"When we sleep," Sam continued now sounding distracted and eerily calm, "Mo-Eve would sing to us to keep the terrors away. She has such a _beautiful voice_ , Cas - you should hear her."

"Sam?" Castiel said, touching Sam on the shoulder.

Sam began to hum under his breath and sway jerkily from side to side, feeling an invisible rhythm.

_"Sam?"_

"Cas," Sam said brokenly, opening his eyes, "I'm _so_ _hungry_."

Castiel took a deep breath in and slowly let it out again. He looked at all of the walls surrounding him and slowly lifted the sleeve of his shirt to reveal his bare arm. He didn't want to do this but…

"You, you sure Cas?"

In response, Castiel wordlessly grabbed the knife still in his belt and slit a small line and held his arm up to Sam once again. Using vampire quick speed, Sam's mouth was on Castiel, suckling his blood in an instant.

"I am no Ruby," Castiel said, "but I will only allow you to drink of my blood when you need it - understand?"

Sam nodded and continued to drink while Castiel gently patted him on the head.

* * *

A small, mousy boy no older than twelve noisily entered Eve's room and bowed down before her.

"Charles," Eve asked, "would you please retrieve my son in room 135?"

"Are, are you sure Mother? I don't believe he is read-"

" _I_ am sure. Do not question my judgment child. Get him."

"Of course. Right away," the child said and ran off to do as She commanded. About twenty minutes later there was a knock on Eve's door.

"Come in," she said, rising from her seat.

Charles entered first followed by her beautiful, completed son. As the young boy bowed before her again, her son blankly stared her in the eye, clenching and unclenching his black-clawed hands anxiously.

"As you requested, Mother," Charles said.

"Thank you _very_ much child," Eve said.

She placed her hand against the side of his face and neck - and snapped his neck in less than a second, killing him instantly. Her son looked to her with sharp eyes, tentatively sniffing the air around him.

"Here's a snack for you," Eve said, motioning to the now lifeless body, "you must be hungry."

Nodding though still unsure, her son picked up the boy's body as though it weighed nothing and bit down his sharp teeth to suckle his blood.

Eve examined him as he ate. His body was primed and toned, more fit than when he was human. He wore black pants only, no need for any kind of shirt. She also rather liked the insignia marking on his chest after all. His sense of smell was as sharp as a werewolf; his hunger for blood was insatiable as a vampire or ghoul. He had the wingspan of a dragon as well as their ability to create heat and the keen eyesight of an arachne. And his mind was honed to all of it. He was Eve's favorite creation yet - a chimera. When he finished his meal and discarded the body, he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and fell to one knee, bowing his head.

"You have requested me, Mother," he said, his voice deep and full of want.

"Yes," she said patting him on the head. "I need for you to find one of my lost children. He was last seen in Montana, heading south."

"As you wish," he said, now standing, back straight like a soldier before his commanding officer.

"Let's see those wings," Eve said with a grin.

Her son smirked back and let loose his leathery, bat-like wings and Eve cooed, running her fingers against them which made her son shiver with anticipation.

"Go now child and I will help once you arrive."

Her son nodded and took off, into the night.


	10. Extreme Dreamwalking

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Italics = the dreamwalking

Sam helped Castiel out of the panic room and then assisted him up the stairs into the small room on the top floor that he kept for himself. After helping Castiel into his bed, Sam couldn't help but examine everything inside the room or the lack thereof.

"Clothes? That's all you have is clothes?"

"There is also a weapons cache underneath my bed as well."

"Well, I see you didn't exactly develop a personality after you fell," Sam said while turning.

"After I fell," Castiel said tersely while attempting to sit up, "there was not much time for pleasantries before the droves and droves of monsters appeared and we survivors needed to sketch a new method of living in order to survive."

"All right, okay," Sam said shutting the doors to Castiel's closet. "Do you want anything? Juice? Water? Another cookie?"

"I think rest would be a good place to begin," Castiel said tiredly. After letting out a sigh, Castiel shut his eyes and tried to relax.

_He was sitting in the shotgun seat of a car that he didn't remembering entering. The car was driving along a highway. It was shortly after dark and the radio was on but quiet._

_"Oh, you're up."_

_Castiel turned his head and, behind the driver's seat, was Dean. Before Castiel knew what was happening, words were forced from out of his mouth but involuntarily and definitely not in his own voice as he said,_

_"Yeah – just rested my eyes anyway. Been a long week."_

_It belonged to Sam. What was this? What was happening...?_

_"So, what're we looking for again?" Dean asked, now making the music louder._

_Again the words came unbidden from his mouth. "Bobby said that the call was about a humanoid creature with vamp teeth and a sharp bonelike spike coming from the wrist."_

_"So, what, we're looking at a runaway Starship?"_

_"Well based on the description I'd say yes."_

_Dean nodded and turned back to looking out at the road._

* * *

Eve's Chimera had been searching through the Vampire's hovel for hours. There were so many different scents filling his nose that it was difficult for him to locate that _one_ which his Mother wanted above all the others. He finally stopped by a box and gave it another sniff. Perhaps this one will contain a clue...

He lifted the lid and inside sat a small pile of flat, plastic squares with photos and small words. All of the photos were of the same, shaggy haired man frowning. But there was something about him...

The Chimera clutched his head and dropped the photos so they spilled out of the box and to the ground. His head felt like it was breaking in two as images of people he did not recognize went by so quickly they practically blended together and then stopped just as suddenly. He was lying on the ground, breathing heavily and deeply. What was that?

Shaking his head to clear his mind, the Chimera found the scent on the cards and followed it out of the cave...and going in a southern direction. Perhaps this is the one. He will find the interloper and bring him back to Mother and perhaps be handsomely rewarded.

* * *

_Castiel didn't know how Sam had done it for so many years. He wanted to throttle Dean for the music, the incessant humming, for the fact that Sam was tremendously uncomfortable sitting cramped in this front seat for hours on end._

_"So, are we ever going to talk about it?" Sam/Cas asked._

_"No," Dean growled like an animal._

_Talk about what?_

_"Look, what Cas did..."_

_Oh._

_"I said no, Sam. Drop it."_

_"He worked with a demon..."_

_Dean said nothing until a few minutes later when the car made a strange popping noise. "What the hell?" Dean murmured, pulling the Impala off to the shoulder of the road._

_Both Winchesters exited the car and discovered that the right, front tire was flat._

_"Damn it," Dean said, barely resisting the urge to kick the tire in annoyance._

_"We have a spare?" Sam asked._

_"No."_

_Rubbing his head above the eyes, Dean pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and was about to dial but put it away, saying he had no signal._

_"Where's the nearest town? I'll walk," Sam volunteered._

_Neither brother heard the twig snap - but Castiel did. He wanted to turn Sam's head to hear it better but couldn't, because Sam didn't._

_"I'll go, you stay - and if anyone so much as touches..."_

_"Good evening, boys."_

_Both of them turned as one to see a girl coming towards them. Her midnight dark hair was flowing in the wind at her back - a wind that was only surrounding her. The girl vanished for a second and then reappeared before them, making them stumble back. That face… No, Castiel did not want to see this._

_She looked up at them and smiled, saying, "It's so good to see the two of you again."_

_"We've met?" Dean asked, clueless._

_"Of course silly," she said, coming to stand before him, "Remember? In Oregon?"_

_Eve. Somehow, someway Castiel was reliving the night she got Sam and Dean from Sam's point of view._

_Dean realized a second too late what was happening as he grabbed the knife he kept in his belt to try and attack the girl but she waved her hand and he flew several feet into the air and was thrown all the way to the other side of the road._

_"Dean!" Sam shouted before being silenced by Eve grabbing Sam by the upper arms and pulling him down to her level and biting him with her suddenly sharp teeth on the neck._

Castiel jolted awake as though electrocuted. He wiped sweat from his brow and threw the sheets off of his body in a better effort to cool off. If anything though, Castiel felt like his body was even hotter than before. Getting up, Castiel stumbled towards the bathroom, turned on the light and went right to the sink. He turned on the cold water and began to try to cool himself. With the water still dripping in big fat droplets down his face, Castiel stared at himself in the mirror. That nightmare...that final moment with Sam and Eve was still running through his head on a loop. He saw it all clear as day, as if he was actually there to witness it in person. Felt the venom of Eve's magic beginning to run through his veins like poison.

"There you are."

Castiel turned from his reflection to see Sam standing in the doorway.

"Is something wrong?" Castiel asked.

"No, I just heard the water running and wanted to make sure you were all right. You all right?"

"Yeah – I am fine. Um, what time is it?"

"Little after five in the morning."

"Good that's...good."

Still feeling hot, Castiel removed his shirt and placed it in the hamper below the sink.

"Where'd you get that tattoo, Cas?"

Castiel turned back and stared blankly at Sam. "Tattoo?"

Before Sam could do more than point at his back, there was a knock from the front door downstairs. Castiel and Sam locked eyes.

"I'm going to go get another shirt - wait for me and we will go down there together," Castiel said.

Sam nodded and moved out of the way so Castiel could get to his room. Looking over his shoulder, he attempted to see whatever it was Sam had seen but it was impossible without a mirror. He grabbed the first shirt he touched (a flannel) and buttoned it as he walked down the stairs. With Sam at his back, Castiel looked out the peep hole and barely suppressed a gasp.

"What is it?" Sam asked.

Instead of answering, Castiel threw open the door and, standing on the landing looking no worse than before he was taken, was Bobby.


	11. Bobby

Castiel could not believe his eyes. Bobby was here. He had returned. He appeared to be...himself.

"Bobby, you're here?"

"I am," the older hunter said, sounding relieved. "Can you let me in Feathers, or do I have to push my way in my own house?"

Sam was still doubtful that letting him in was a good thing, but Castiel still moved aside and Bobby simply walked inside. He took a deep breath in through his mouth and let it out through his nose, shivering off a chill only he could feel. The minute Bobby stepped through the door though Sam knew something was different about him. He could smell it.

"Would you like something to eat, Bobby?" Castiel asked as he shut the door. "Some water? Alcohol?"

"No, um, Cas - I'm fine," Bobby said with an attempted smile. It looked more like a grimace than anything else.

"Um, Cas," Sam said, excusing the two of them and pulling Castiel to stand by the staircase. Sam looked back as Bobby stared off at something in the far distance only he was paying attention to or hearing. He knew that look – he knew he'd had that same look on his own face many times in the past year. "Cas, we obviously can't trust him here – Eve had him. Mommy-monster bit him before taking off!"

Calm as you please, Castiel answered with, "I know."

"You know?" Sam asked trying to not sound incredulous.

"Of course," Castiel said, adjusting his shoulders and crossing his arms. "I might be human now but there are certain things that are obvious to someone if you lived with them for long enough. Something is wrong with him I just don't know what yet…"

"So, what do we do then?"

Castiel looked at Bobby as he stared and let out an imperceptible sigh. "We wait him out. We will see what is happening and then we will do what is necessary."

"All right Cas," Sam said, "I trust you."

A few short hours later and it looked like a common scene from a year ago. Bobby was sitting at his desk looking through papers while Sam and Castiel were sitting side by side on the couch. Castiel had his nose buried in a book written in ancient Aramaic while Sam just sat watching Bobby while drumming his fingers on his knee.

"You all right son," Bobby asked without looking.

"What?" Sam asked.

Bobby looked up and crossed his arms. "You look ready to bolt, son."

Sam squinted his eyes and sat up a little straighter. "Don't 'son' me whatever you are."

Now it was Bobby's turn to sit up. "What're you saying, _boy_?"

Sam saw something flash in Bobby's eyes before Castiel snapped his book shut.

"Sam, um, could you please go and get something for me - it is in my car," Castiel asked.

Sam did a double-take and looked at his friend. "What?"

"Please," Castiel implored, "as a favor."

"But Cas…"

Castiel cocked his head. "You could have been back already…."

Sam took one more look at Bobby, then at Castiel and walked out through the kitchen door.

* * *

Mother had been speaking to him since he'd left. She reassured him that what he was doing was right - for _Her_. When the time was right, she would free him; allow him to do what is necessary.

_"The time is now, my son."_

* * *

Castiel could see his tremors. He could see the way that Bobby would continuously clench and unclench his hands. Bobby blinked once. Twice. The third time, he opened his eyes and they were a shade of golden yellow that he had never seen in a human eye before tonight. Bobby hugged himself as he fell off of his chair and to the ground, beginning to moan.

"Bobby?" Castiel asked, remaining still in his seat, in concern. "Bobby, are you all right?"

His answer was a sharp howl, cutting through the air like a knife. It made Castiel feel as though his bones within his skin were vibrating.

_Oh Bobby, what did Eve do to you?_ Castiel thought to himself.

* * *

Mother had specifically asked for her lost boy to be returned to her tonight. He had finally found where he was located and now he simply needed only to wait for the prodigal son to show himself. Chimera landed on the roof of a tower of old automobiles and watched the house. There were three of them within that he could smell: two of Eve's children and one...one unknown entity. Not human, not monster, just something _else_.

What was he?

The door to the house opened and someone exited and began to walk in his general direction. Chimera smelled his scent on the air. Oh, yes, Chimera thought to himself as a howl came from within the house.

* * *

Sam made to run back inside when he heard the howl but something smacked him from behind, pushing him to the ground.

"Mother wants a word with you," whatever it was said and Sam gasped before a hard blow to the head knocked him out.

* * *

Cautiously, Castiel began to walk towards the desk his friend had collapsed behind. When he finally reached the corner and looked down, Bobby had curled himself into a ball and his body appeared to be expanding underneath his clothes. He threw his head back and screamed another howl as sharp teeth extended through his blood-red gums and his face morphed into something new and terrifying and strangely familiar.

" _What are your plans for tonight son?" Bobby asked Castiel._

_The angel turned human in question was at that moment sitting on the couch downstairs pouring over a book of fairy lore, deciding if contacting anyone from the fairy realm would be beneficial towards their fight against the monsters plaguing the planet._

" _I was deciding whether or not to contact Oberon. I met him once many years ago; he owes me a favor."_

_Bobby made a face before asking, "You've met the King of Fairies?"_

" _Why are you asking me about my plans, Bobby?"_

" _Nothing – thought you might like a night off. I've got some old movies on VHS and thought you might like to, you know, relax."_

_Castiel sighed. "I don't believe we should be stopping while Sam and Dean are…"_

" _Castiel," Bobby said, trying to sound authoritative, "you have been running yourself ragged for the last month and a half. Now, we are going to take the night off and we are going to wait until tomorrow afternoon before continuing because I highly doubt that the king of fairies wants to have any part in our little pissed on planet anyway. Okay?"_

_Bobby wasn't lying about Castiel and he knew he was about to collapse in a second. He could feel something akin to illness spreading through his body and he hadn't had a good night's sleep in over a week._

" _What is a VHS?"_

" _Movies – specifically ones on video tape."_

" _The only movie I have ever seen involves a pizza man and a baby sitter. Do you have any like that?"_

"… _No."_

" _Too bad; I enjoyed that movie."_

" _Moving on from that mental image," Bobby said as he walked out of the room and returned a minute later with a box full of plastic black squares. "Most of these I taped off the television over the years. See if any titles catch your fancy."_

_Castiel moved onto the floor, on his knees, examining the squares intensely. After five minutes, he gave one to Bobby with a serious look on his face. "This one."_

_Bobby read the title and looked again at the former angel skeptically. "Are you sure?"_

" _Sam had mentioned this film once. He found it humorous."_

" _Okay. Guess if that's any reason to do something…"_

_Castiel retook his seat on the couch and after putting the VHS into what Bobby called a VCR, the older man sat next to him. He pushed the play button on the remote control and together they sat in silence as Castiel watched his first real movie: An American Werewolf in London._

Castiel backed away slowly from the snarling wolf creature stalking towards him.

"Easy," Castiel said, raising his hands and lowering them as though trying to ward the Bobby-creature off.

The beast walked on all four paws towards Castiel, drool dripping from his open lips as he snarled.

"Bobby, this is not you. Please, fight off Eve's hold over your mind."

The creature stopped for just a moment before jumping, mouth wide open and sinking its teeth into Castiel's forearm. There was a strange warmth that traveled up his arm at that moment. Strange yet oddly familiar. Castiel barely had time to shut his eyes before a bright white light exploded from within him. The light somehow had the power to throw Bobby against the wall furthest away, all the way at the other end of the room. Castiel took several deep breaths to calm himself. What was happening?

Seconds later, burning hot pain suddenly exploded from Castiel's back causing him to fall to his knees. No, it was more like he was on fire. Castiel crawled back to his feet unsteadily and ran out of the room, using the wall to keep him upright as he went. His mind fuzzily noticed that a light was following him while he went and he was dragging something along the floor behind him. He stumbled down the hallway and finally came to the door of the downstairs bathroom. He walked inside and went to look at himself in the mirror – and he stared.

The first thing Castiel noticed was his eyes. They were not the same blue as that of Jimmy Novak which he had grown used to - his irises were an orangish-red, like fire. His eyes then roved up and, from out of his back, two large wings of fire had sprouted much like the wings he had as a full angel of the Lord. Castiel needed to lean against the wall to stay upright because he felt like collapsing in shock. What - what was going on? Was he hallucinating? No, he couldn't be – he was awake and this was really happening!

"Balthazar," he found himself shouting. Castiel watched in the mirror as the red eyes returned to blue and the wings disappeared but that didn't matter. He needed some answers – now.

"Balthazar!"


	12. Firebird Revealed

After shouting himself hoarse for twenty minutes, Castiel sat down on the bathroom floor farthest away from the toilet and sink with his knees tucked under his chin and tried to take stock over everything that had been happening to him. Well, one thing was for sure and that was the fact that he wasn't a fallen human anymore. He was something more. It was the potion's fault - had to be. Castiel opened his mouth to call for Balthazar one more time when he heard a fluttering noise just to the left of him. He turned and his angelic brother stood by the bathtub, staring down at him.

"Good evening brother," Balthazar said, "I believe my ears are burning."

* * *

Sam came to in a dark room with his entire body strapped down to a gurney by tight belts. The room smelled of antiseptics and anesthetic with a hint of creatures and humans alike and based on the gurney alone it was obviously some sort of room in a clinic. Suddenly the lights in the room turned on and Sam immediately shut his eyes to avoid pain. The melody of a girl humming filled the room and Sam felt his resistance falter as a soothing wave washed over him.

"You're awake."

"Eve," Sam said through his teeth.

"Sam, Sam, Sam," Eve said, leaning her head over him and gently running her hand against his cheek, "What am I going to do with you?"

" . .Bitch," Sam said, trying to remain defiant.

"Oh Sammy, my little boy - of course you are." She gave him a kiss on the forehead and ran her finger against his shoulder.

"Who was that in the yard that brought me here?" Sam asked as he tried to break free of the belts.

"Why?" Eve asked, playing with one of the belts herself.

"Because whatever it was knocked me out and…." Sam was drowned out by the sound of Eve laughing at him.

"You mean you didn't recognize him?" Eve said, pouting before smiling, "You're slipping, boy."

The lights went out again and Sam suddenly noticed an illuminated window to his left. Eve carefully removed the bands restricting him and Sam looked at her before turning his head to see - another room where something else was being held. The back of some guy was currently facing him. From the torso-up was bare but for two large black, leathery bat wings and the guy was wearing tight black jeans from the waist down. Their hair was a dirty blonde, almost but not quite brown and then as though in slow motion the body turned around.

The creature was looking into what he assumed to be a mirror, extending his wings out to their fullest. Sam's eyes widened and, horrified, he jumped up from the bed and leaned against the mirror.

"No. No," he said, before turning back but Eve was already gone, teleported herself into the next room. The one in which Dean, his only family, was transformed into some kind of winged monster freak. Just like he was turned into a vamp. Eve had her arms wrapped around Dean and from her lips, Sam could understand her.

" _How's my baby?"_

And Dean…he nuzzled his head against her like a pet getting special attention from its master.

Sam banged his fist against the window and Dean jumped as though startled and hissed, exposing sharp fangs as a means to protect his territory. Knowing there was nothing he could do at the moment, Sam just stood there in front of the one way glass window and watched, leaning his hand against the cool glass and feeling a lone tear trail down his cheek.

* * *

"Start talking Balthazar," Castiel said harshly through clenched teeth.

"Why Cas; whatever are you talking about?"

"Cut the crap. I know you've done something, have been doing something to me. I have - I have wings again and strength and..."

"Calm down, Castiel. Deep breaths."

" _What_ is going on up there?"

Balthazar leaned against the wall and spoke while looking down at his fingernails rather than his brother in the eye.

"Well you see Castiel - there was a little discovery just shortly after your fall from grace."

Castiel readjusted himself so he was more comfortable and murmured his assent for the story to continue.

"Deep in the darkest bowels of the Great Library - a prophecy surfaced."

"Stating what?" Castiel asked, now interested.

"Well, _this_ in a nutshell," Balthazar said, raising his hands, palm up to the sky. "The earth going to the toilet, the monsters taking over, a battle between the Mother who created them - and a Firebird."

"A Firebird..."

It rang a bell in the back of Castiel's mind; he had heard of them before but that was ages ago. Thousands upon thousands of years actually.

"Extremely rare, a Firebird is apparently the one thing in all of creation that is able to kill Eve entirely - or so the legend states."

"But, but what is it?"

"Well," Balthazar said, pacing the length of the bathroom, "according to the scholars, a Firebird is a rare type of angel, creature hybrid."

"A hybrid?"

"Yes - a creature with the grace of an angel but it has the powers and strengths of the phoenix. Did you know that it wasn't Eve who created the phoenix, but our Father? Of course – because why would Eve create something that would eventually destroy her? Now, while a regular phoenix might be able to burn the mother, the Firebird can _destroy_ her."

Castiel brought his hand up to his chin and thought over the concept. "So a rare creature plus a rare creature creates -"

"A super rare creature, yes. The originals died out shortly after the Great Battle. You can immediately see the dilemma those of us who discovered the prophecy had - and then keeping all of it from Raphael as well..."

It did make sense to Castiel but one main thing still bothered him...

"It is me. You chose _me_. I am the new Firebird creature."

Balthazar nodded solemnly. "It wasn't easy but we, that is to say, those still loyal to your cause nicked your collected grace from Raphy and after adding a bit of left-over phoenix magic, I shipped it to you under the guise of a simple potion that 'hides your humanness'."

"But why?"

"You missed that point? Because we still _believe_ in you. We still want the earth to prevail. We are behind you one million percent, brother."

Castiel was unsure of what to say. While he had made peace with his thoughts on humanity and himself, Castiel was unsure of if he could achieve what was being asked of him. "Balthazar, I don't know..."

"Oh poppy-cock - that is what the kids are still saying?"

"No."

"Well, we believe in you Castiel and I'm sure that the Winchesters if you could find them would agree to that as well. You are rather resourceful when push comes to shove."

Find them? Climbing to his feet, Castiel walked forward asking that same question. "What do you mean find them? Sam's still here..."

Balthazar shook his head. "Wasn't in the yard when I arrived."

Castiel's eyes widened momentarily and before he knew it, he was outside in among the scrap heaped cars instead of still in the small bathroom. He felt winded and exceptionally unused to the feeling of having flown, even such a short distance. Trying to get back into the rhythm of having active grace, Castiel tried to read the energy of the yard. Within the house, Bobby was the only one within but among the row of cars there was something that had been recently touched. Castiel disappeared and reappeared before a rusted Toyota and placed his hand against it.

_"Mother wants you,"_ a voice reflected back to him.

Mother wants you? Mother wants you. Something had attacked Sam, taking him back to Eve. Steeling himself Castiel turned back to the house only to see a battered and dazed Bobby staring back at him. The man-turned-beast appearing human now leaned forward about to collapse to the ground when Castiel flew forward to grab him before he could fall.

"I'm sorry, son," Bobby whispered before falling unconscious once again.


	13. Healing, Rest - and Fire!

Bobby didn't remember much after Eve had mentally forced him to transform, a fact which he was most thankful. He did know that it had hurt like hell and a short while later he woke up on the floor, pressed against a wall that he had undoubtedly slammed against if the large cracks had been any indication. He carefully got up and walked outside before promptly losing consciousness yet again. Now he was waking up for a third time, this time in his own bed with a blanket wrapped tightly around him and his semi-soft pillow under his head, making him feel nice and safe.

"Bobby? Bobby?"

Some gravelly voice was swimming in and out of his ears like he was floating underwater. He opened his mouth and barely murmured the word "Water" before his head was raised and a cool glass was placed to his parched lips. While drinking carefully, Bobby opened his eyes and, sitting on a chair beside his bed, was Castiel looking no worse for the wear considering he'd been about to attack the poor boy just hours (days?) ago.

"I don't really want to ask but I know that I've got to - what happened, son?" Bobby asked.

Castiel sighed before picking up the glass again and helping Bobby drink. Not good – he was holding something back. Tentatively, Castiel began to talk.

"Things have...things have changed in the time since we last spoke and in a way I have also changed. Though for good or for bad I have no idea."

That didn't sound good. "What in the hell are you talking about? Castiel?"

Castiel licked his lips as he met Bobby, eye for eye. "I have discovered the truth of the potion which Balthazar has been giving to me for the last year and..."

"And?" Bobby prompted when Castiel faltered, "Has he been poisoning you?"

"Well, no...But it isn't without its side-effects. Bobby - I am an angel of the Lord once again. Sort of."

Castiel looked down at his own hands, unable to meet his friend in the eye again for fear of what he might find.

"What do you mean you're "sort of" an angel again? I thought you told me your grace was gone?"

"Apparently Raphael kept it hidden away. You see, a group of angels discovered a prophecy - one that spoke of the times we are now experiencing."

"Monsterland?"

"That's the one."

Bobby groaned as he pulled himself up to a better sitting position. He noticed strange, deep lacerations on his arms that were most definitely not there before his lost consciousness but he motioned for the boy (angel) to continue with his story.

With a sigh, Castiel spoke. "Right, well, this prophecy also spoke of an angel with the power of a phoenix having the unique ability of being the only one to destroy the Mother of all once and for all."

After a beat, Bobby asked, "And that's going to be you, Feathers?"

Castiel stared at his friend for a moment and snorted in derision. "You know I dislike that nickname, Bobby."

Bobby himself snorted in response. "And yet it's fitting as you've got your wings back again."

Castiel rolled his eyes and did not respond to the obviously true statement.

"So then...you're an angel, boy."

"Yes, I suppose I am."

"And...and part phoenix - how does that work?"

"Well, according to Balthazar as something I did not know - the phoenix were created by God and not by Eve. It was a secret to keep the balance."

"Right because why would Eve create something that could inevitably destroy her."

"Exactly. There were apparently several phoenix angels called 'Firebirds' at the beginning of all but they have since disappeared. I am the first in so many years." The two of them lapsed into an uneasy silence before Castiel tried to break it. "Bobby, if I might ask - what did Eve...?"

"Don't ask. Not now, okay."

"Very well."

Castiel smoothed out the blanket covering Bobby and stood to walk towards the door.

"Thanks Castiel."

Castiel turned back and gave Bobby a half-smile. "You have done the same for me since I have fallen, standing by me when I believed myself to be on my own. You are welcome."

Bobby waited until Castiel left before falling back onto his pillow and wondering why he could not hear the sweet music of Eve's voice in the back of his mind.

* * *

Castiel walked into the kitchen and began to pull items from the cabinets so he could prepare them both something for dinner. With their shortened supplies, he settled for them splitting a can of chili and a beer for each of them. Everything was going fine until Castiel noticed that the flame beneath the pot didn't seem to be strong enough. With that single thought, the flame expanded into fireball that set the entire wall behind the stove on fire!

"Assbutt!" Castiel exclaimed, grabbing a cup and running to the sink to fill it up. He was able to control and put out the fire but the wall was blackened and the pot was destroyed.

"No chili tonight then," Castiel murmured, putting the cup back in the cabinet with a loud smack.

"I smell smoke," Bobby called, getting closer by the second.

The hunter-turned-creature shuffled into the room and put his hands into his pockets, examining the scene: Castiel standing with his arms crossed beside a blackened wall and a stove with a half-melted pot.

"I am so sorry, Bobby," Castiel said sincerely yet angrily, "I do not know my own strength anymore."

"No, it's fine. Wasn't really all that hungry anyway." Bobby walked just in front of him but stopped, staring at Castiel's face. "Your eyes are the wrong color."

"Are they a shade of red-orange?"

"Yup."

Castiel sighed and his shoulders slumped. "I do not know how to do this again, Bobby. The first time I was almost human - it was all right because I felt as though I belonged with you and the boys. Now, after everything I am powered up again and it is only you and I and I am expected to...to..."

"To stop a horrible creature bent on destroying everything and save the whole world?"

"Well when you put it that way..."

Bobby stood before Castiel and, with a firm grip on his shoulders, said, "Sam and Dean faced bad odds when the going went tough as you well know. Who's to say you can't emulate them in your own way?"

Castiel walked past him and slumped against the kitchen table, staring out the window.

"Castiel, I have a question for you," Bobby said after a beat.

"Shoot."

"Did you...do something to me, before I was knocked unconscious?"

Castiel turned to look at Bobby and crossed his arms, thinking back. "I used my grace...or whatever to push you against a wall but not before you sunk your, um, teeth into my arm. It was unpleasantly painful like being stabbed by small needles. Why?"

"It's just that...since then I can't hear Eve talking to me anymore."

Castiel straightened at that statement. "What do you mean?"

Bobby shrugged as he said, "Well, before my extended nap, all I could do was hear her telling me to wait to transform and something tugging me from inside as it happened."

"And now you no longer have that need or voice?"

"Nope. Pretty silent up here," Bobby said, pointing at his head.

"Bobby," Castiel said slowly, "if I might ask, do you have any abilities outside of your wolf form?"

"So, I was a wolf then."

"Yes."

"Thought my brain made that part up. I don't know - why're you asking?"

"Come outside with me, I want to see something."

Castiel stood up and walked to the door, waiting for Bobby to follow him. The two men walked outside and stopped beside the same automobile Castiel had touched earlier and gotten that small wisp of a phrase.

"Do you remember Sam's scent?"

"I'd rather not but in a pinch..."

Castiel patted the metal and stepped away from the vehicle. Bobby gave him a sour look as he walked forward and took a good whiff. The first thing he could smell right away was car - and then the scents of every single human that had touched it over the years. He smelled the age and the weathering of the vehicle. He could smell Castiel and... _there_.

"Got 'im.'"

"Which way?"

Bobby sniffed the air like an eager bloodhound. "West. Same direction...I came from."

Bobby and Castiel stared off into the distance.

"Something took Sam back?" Castiel asked slowly.

Bobby sighed. "I think so."

"You think?"

"Fine, I know it because I can smell it too. But Castiel..."

"Bobby, you must come with me. We must work together to save him. I need you."

Bobby rolled his eyes to the sky and took a deep breath in before letting it out. "Balls - of course you need me. I'll help you...Feathers."

"Feathers thanks you. Now, let's go."

"Wait, now?" Bobby said trying to stop him.

"Bobby, the longer we wait -"

"What about supplies? What about a plan? What about a car?"

"Bobby, we are powerful enough on our own. We are fine," Castiel said putting a hand on Bobby's shoulder.

Before either one of them knew what happened, in a gust of wind, they were suddenly standing in front of a large stone building, in another town, in another state entirely.

"Where are we?" Castiel asked.

"Well, I'd hate to say it son but - Welcome to Casa del Monsters."


	14. Storming the Castle

She was calling to him again. Just an hour ago, the singing in the back of his mind began to get louder, more incessant. Sam tried to fight it off but the notes kept coming at him like some kind of mental battering ram. While he was sitting, his body shivering in the corner with his head in his hands trying to remember the lyrics to one of the songs off of Dean's tapes, the door to his little room was opened and something was thrown inside before it was shut again. He didn't move to see what it was but the smell of the object wafted through Sam's nose. He tried plugging it up but it was too late.

He raised his head to look and, lying prone on the floor, was the broken body of a young girl. She appeared to be only unconscious but all Sam could concentrate on was how _hungry_ he felt in her presence. Sam crawled on his hands and knees to sit beside the small body. She couldn't have been older than fifteen. He watched as a single tear fell from her eye signaling that there was still life in the body despite the deep laceration to her throat. She opened her eyes, revealing them to be a light honey brown and Sam could no longer help himself. He brought his mouth down against the cut and began to drink, sucking in the sweet liquid deeply until she was drained totally dry.

_"That's a good boy..."_ the formerly singing voice said joyfully.

* * *

Castiel and Bobby, upon their sudden arrival to Eve's hide out, stood before the building sizing it up.

"How big is it from the inside?" Castiel asked taking stock.

"Big."

Castiel looked at Bobby, really looked at him and frowned. "Very well," Castiel said turning back.

There was thankfully no angel-warding magic on the building but that was probably because the angels had all but vanished for the last year. No barrier's holding him back today.

"Shall we go inside and reintroduce ourselves?" Castiel asked, running up the steps and putting his hand on the doorknob. He turned and waited for Bobby to join him but the man remained behind.

"I'm not sure about this, Castiel. Eve's in there and…" Bobby said, his face white as a sheet.

Castiel walked back down and put his hands on Bobby's shoulders, holding them tightly before saying, "You _can_ do this Bobby. Now, I need someone by my side and there is no one else I trust, can trust, more than you. I will not allow Eve to take you back so easily without a fight. Help me rescue Sam, please?"

Bobby looked Castiel in the eyes and nodded. "Let's roll."

Castiel gave him a pat on the shoulder and together they walked up the steps and walked right inside.

"Why were the doors unlocked?" Castiel asked as the door shut behind him.

"Well if that isn't already a bad sign on this mission... Come on, I can smell Sam nearby. God, do I hate this…"

With Bobby leading the way, Castiel followed as they walked down a dark hall full of closed doors and flickering lights. His curiosity getting the better of him, Castiel couldn't help but look through one of the windows on one of the doors. It appeared to be simply an empty room with a cot in the corner; the walls were white and made of stone. Simple. Until suddenly the head of a woman appeared in the window, screeching and gnashing a mouth full sharp teeth. Castiel couldn't help but jump back and away.

"Avoid looking into the rooms, son," Bobby said and continued on his way.

Castiel looked back at the woman once more to see a sudden line of feathers on wings smacking the window. So, Eve appeared to be making Harpies. It'd been ages since he'd seen one of those walking the earth.

"Cas, down here."

Castiel got back on his feet and walked down to the end of the hall looking straight ahead, ignoring the rest of the doors. Bobby gave the door another sniff before nodding.

"He's in here," Bobby said putting his hand on the knob and pulling it away to reveal a scorched imprint on his palm. Castiel examined the injury before touching Bobby's hand and healing him.

"The knob must be made of silver. Avoid touching it again," Castiel said before touching it himself and turning it.

The door opened with a crunching sound and slowly Castiel walked inside before he blocked Bobby with his outstretched arm. Sitting pushed against the farthest corner with his head bowed down, Sam Winchester sat as still as a painting, red liquid dripping in slow drops from his face.

"Sam?" Castiel asked carefully, "Are you well?"

No one moved for several seconds until slowly Sam raised his head. Heavily, he said, "Cas, I'm sorry. I couldn't help it."

"It's all right, Sam," Castiel said, entering the room fully and coming to sit by his friend's side, running his hand through Sam's hair in an attempt to soothe him, "I understand."

"Cas, she's got..." Sam began to say but was interrupted by –

"Well, well..."

Castiel turned himself around as Sam crouched down further, rubbing his hand against his temples as though in agony. Eve was standing in the doorway, Bobby beside her and not making any moves to stop her path.

"Castiel - as I live and breathe."

"Eve."

Castiel stood and as he walked towards her he could feel a wave of heat against his back. From the corner of his eyes, he could see the shadows of his wings flickering against the walls, large and beautiful.

"I see you've learned some new tricks," Eve said, slithering closer to him and touching him on the cheek. "I could use someone like you on my side."

Castiel didn't say anything as he raised his hand to Eve's throat. He began to squeeze and Eve smiled.

"I wouldn't do that," she sing-songed.

"Why?" Castiel asked before something from behind him smashed him on the back of the head. He was down and out before he could see what happened.

* * *

Bobby assisted Eve back to her feet after she had fallen and she stroked his face before turning to her savior, Sam, and giving him a kiss on the forehead.

"Thank you son."

Putting a hand to his chest, Sam said, "Anything for you, Mother."

They all stared down at the unconscious angel and finally Eve said with a heavy sigh, "Grab him, Sam and follow me."

Sam picked his friend up off the ground and followed Eve out the door with Bobby following them to another room. Sam dropped Castiel on one of the cots and the three of them left him there to wait until he woke up so they could deal with him the only way their Mother taught them how.


	15. For Want of Freedom

Eve "graciously" allowed Bobby and Sam to remain in the same room together for the time being. She said this directly to Bobby but Sam listened as well because he wanted to do right by his Mother.

"I know that the two of you have some catching up to do. Some "bonding" if you will. Now, when I return I have something _special_ for you to do, Robert - okay?"

"Yes, Mother," Bobby said stiltedly, his heart not in it but his mouth saying the words anyway.

Once the door was closed and they heard the click of the lock, Bobby groaned and reached to grab the door knob, forgetting all about the silver handle. He pulled his hand away, covered in blisters and shook it in pain.

"Damn it. DAMN IT!" he shouted to the ceiling. Was this going to be his life now? His main purpose to serve this woman?

"Bobby, let me see."

Bobby turned and there was Sam, sitting on his cot, leaning with his back against the wall. Bobby wordlessly extended his injured hand and Sam ran his finger gently over the bright red scared marking along the palm.

"Probably heal by tonight," Bobby said after a minute, snatching his hand back.

Neither one of them spoke for several minutes until Sam finally leaned to touch his head against the wall and stared up at the ceiling.

"So, why'd you and Cas come out here anyway?" he asked.

Bobby snorted. "Why else? To stop Eve, erm Mother - no, Eve!"

"Right - well good job."

"Shut up, idjit."

Sam chuckled as he rubbed his face with his left hand.

"You know we have to try and get ourselves out of here? Get Cas out of here too," Bobby said.

"I know Bobby. I know it's just that - I have to _acclimate_ myself to that point because, right now..."

"You're all screwed in the head because you fed?"

"Yeah."

Bobby grabbed Sam's head and turned him to face him eye for eye and said, "Cas needs us, Sam. We have to stand by him."

Sam began chuckling again, more brokenly. Bobby looked at him confusedly and asked what was wrong now.

"Nothing," Sam said while rubbing his eyes. "It's just...Cas isn't the only one that's _here_."

"And that's supposed to mean what exactly?"

Sam looked Bobby in the eye and sighed.

* * *

There appeared to be quite the commotion happening in the room next door if the shouting and loud bangs were any indication. Chimera wanted to find out if they were in need of his assistance but he was locked in his room again until Mother allowed him to leave.

He hated being trapped in this bland room.

His wings shifted restlessly against his back. Even if he had only been outside for a short period of time, already he missed freeing feeling of the wind against him as he flew. It hadn't been as bad as he'd initially feared - he was in control of his own flight after all.

Why had Mother locked him down again? Had he done something bad? As if to answer his question, the door to his room flew open and there she stood in the doorway, smiling at him as brightly as the sun.

"Hello again, my son."

"Mother, what's happening -?"

"Shh," she said, smiling and putting her finger to her mouth, "it's all taken care of."

She extended her hand to him and he shakily took it into his own. He was not used to so much skin on skin contact with anyone. He liked her warmth.

"Come my child, I want to show you something."

Mother led her Chimera down the long hallway until they stopped by a closed door with a number eighty-five on a plaque above the square window. Mother stepped away and Chimera waited a few seconds before looking inside.

There was a man lying on a cot unconscious. He wore a plain button down shirt, blue pants and boots upon his feet. His dark hair was disheveled and he appeared to be shivering, not as though cold but as if in pain.

"Who is this, Mother?" Chimera asked curiously.

"That, my dear boy, is our enemy."

Chimera turned away from the window and frowned. "Our enemy?"

Eve leaned up and began whispering into his ear, "He means to destroy me, son. You won't allow that to happen, will you?"

"No. I will destroy him," Chimera said, turning to look back into the room one more time to remember every detail of the stranger.

Eve gave him a kiss on the cheek and grabbed his hand to pull him back.

"When will this happen?" Chimera asked.

"Soon, my son. Soon."

Chimera looked back to the door and thought back. There was something strangely familiar about the man but what could it be?

* * *

"Dean's alive?"

"Yeah."

Bobby sniffled before continuing. "And he's another one of Eve's "special little monsters"?"

"That's right," Sam said turning to look at him.

"So – let me get this straight - not only do we got to rescue Cas but we've also gotta bust Dean outta here too?"

"Day in the life of us, right? Glad to be back in the game?"

"Well this might interest ya you idjit but I think I've got an idea..."

* * *

The room was still spinning when he stared at a spot across the room from where he lay. Castiel shifted positions on his cot and lifted his arm slowly so his hand could carefully probe his head. His hand was still shaking but thankfully when he pulled it away there was no blood, just a rather large bump. Sighing, Castiel moved until he was sitting upright with his back against the wall and tried to take stock of everything he still needed to do.

At the very top of his unachievable list was saving Bobby and Sam followed by stopping Eve. Now, if there was only some way he could do that and save the planet from monsters too… but that sounded like a faraway hope at best. Perhaps stopping Eve should come first. Then he can work on saving everyone else…

_"You're going to have to do better than that, Cas."_

Startled, Castiel looked to his left and sitting on the cot beside him was Dean as he last remembered seeing him. So this was what hallucinating was like?

"What do you mean?" Castiel asked the specter.

_"Well, I think your top priority should be first and foremost killing Eve's hold on everyone. Forget Bobby and Sam, they'll be alright for now. Maybe," Dean said with a carefree shrug._

"What do you mean?" Castiel repeated waiting for the puzzle pieces to come together.

" _Okay, remember when we stopped her the first time? Our secret weapon?"_

"Of course- the ash of the phoenix you and Sam collected in 1861."

_"Exactly."_

Castiel leaned forward and opened his mouth but didn't say anything.

_Dean caught on. "Ah, you want to know where I'm going with this."_

"It would be prudent."

_"Well (Dean's eyes gave him a look over) it's all right in here," Dean said, poking Castiel in the forearm._

"In my skin?"

_"In your blood, Cas. Your blood is the key to stopping her."_

"My blood?"

Dean smiled and nodded, smacking Castiel on the back before the angel opened his eyes and realized he was still alone.

"My blood…?" he whispered aloud. Maybe this wouldn't be so hard to achieve after all…

* * *

Eve sent one of her young human slaves in to retrieve Robert from Samuel's room. The young boy knocked on the door and, when he received no response, knocked harder. When that still earned nothing, he used the key hanging from a chain around his neck and unlocked the door manually.

"Mr. Singer?" the boy said, peeking his head inside of the room.

It looked totally empty up to the moment when he was roughly pulled inside and the door, his only exit, closed shut behind him. Someone put their hand over his mouth and he looked up and up to see a red eyed, brown haired man standing behind him. The boy tried to scream but it was muffled. He felt a squeeze somewhere between his neck and shoulder and fell limply, unconscious to the floor.

Sam moved in to bite the boy but Bobby pulled him away at the last second with a sharp, "No."

Bobby then grabbed the key and, using the sleeve of his shirt and holding his breath, turned the door knob. It opened and they exited. They walked a few feet to the left and Sam nodded to Bobby in agreement. Bobby put the key into the hole, turned it and opened the door to the next room over.


	16. And You Are?

The room was dark when they entered. Sam slipped inside before Bobby and felt along the walls for a light switch or a string attached to a light bulb on the ceiling. Anything, really. When his hand brushed against something metallic set on the wall, before he could flip the switch himself, someone else did the task for him, drowning the room in a sudden burst of bright light.

Sam turned and looked his brother in the eye for the first time in a year. And he froze.

"What're you doing in here?" Dean growled.

"Damn it, Dean," Sam said before he could stop himself and felt someone (probably Bobby) give him a hard smack on the shoulder.

"Ev-Mother sent us," Bobby said, "To check up on you."

The thing that looked and sounded like Dean turned its head from side to side, taking the two of them in and sniffing the air for good measure. "You're not of the children Mother normally sends."

"Um, no," Sam said looking to Bobby.

"No," the other man said trying not to look Dean square in the eye, "She wanted us to..."

"To...to introduce ourselves. We're Eve, Mother's, creations too."

"That's right."

Dean stared at them incredulously. "I know that. I can smell you."

"Oh, right," Sam said. "Of course you can."

The three of them stood in a circle with Dean staring at Sam and Sam and Bobby staring back at him.

"Do you two have names," Dean asked shortly, "or should I continue thinking of the two of you as 'Tall Guy' and 'Old Guy'?"

_Oh, what has she done to you, Dean,_ Sam thought to himself, feeling a deep pang in his heart.

"I'm Bobby and this here is Sam," Bobby said pointing to the two of them in turn before extending his hand. Dean stared at it but made no move to shake so Bobby lowered it and stared at the floor.

"Do _you_ have a name?" Sam asked, his soul feeling like it was dying as every second ticked by.

Dean shrugged his shoulders before saying, "Mother has not gifted me with one as yet."

"Well what does she call you?"

"Her little boy. Son. Child. Stupid I know but...it feels, it feels good, ya know? Right."

"No, no I really don't," Sam said, shaking his head.

"But she's our maker. She created us."

Bobby and Sam shared a look. This was going to be much more difficult than they thought.

* * *

Castiel thought back to the last time they all went up against Eve. Eyes closed, legs bent under him, Castiel brought back those memories of only one year ago. They were in the diner in Oregon and Eve had sent for himself and Bobby to both be brought inside. Dean foolishly ran his mouth as usual and Eve, having taken on the form of Mary Winchester, sunk her teeth into Dean's neck trying to turn him into one of her newly created "Jefferson Starships".

"The phoenix ash," he whispered to himself.

The ash was in Dean's bloodstream and Eve hadn't known it. Her body died in flashes of light and black liquids and with her death came the return of his powers and the swift destruction of her minions.

Things were different now. His essence was now part angel and part phoenix – a powerful beacon of light.

"The answer is in my blood. My blood will have the ability to stop her – maybe to stop everyone."

He opened his eyes and looked down at his open palms. All Castiel needed was some plan to achieve that end and free his friends. Well, he was always a pretty good strategist in wartime.

"Perhaps this will not be so difficult after all..."

* * *

Bobby sat on the cot alone while Sam and Dean continued their strange staring/who loved "Mother" the most contest. But mostly it was staring. It was like the boys were twelve and eight again in the middle of some argument.

"There you boys are."

Eve stood framed in the door with several young children surrounding her like an entourage.

"Mother," Dean immediately said, falling to one knee and placing a fist over his heart. Sam and Bobby met eye to eye and did the same.

"So, my little ones, who's hungry for a little blood?"

Bobby tried to ignore the way his mouth salivated at the offer but Dean answered with, "Is it time?"

"Yes my son, it is. Come, he is waiting for all of you to arrive."

He? Eve looked them all in the eye and one by one they each fell to her control. Their minds totally blank, they exited the room in a line, following Eve to their next location. Eve brought them outdoors to a large stone fenced stadium.

"My sons," she said turning to Bobby and Sam, putting her hands on their shoulders, "you shall be the first."

She then turned to Dean and kissed him on the forehead.

"You shall come after."

Dean became indignant. "I should be the first. I should be the one to stop him."

"And you will. I just...want to see if he is able to battle his _friends_ first."

Friends?

Eve looked at Bobby and the man began to visibly shake. He crouched down on all fours and transformed into a large, brown furred wolf. Sam was amazed though he made no move to show it.

"Come. He'll be waiting for you," Eve said.

She motioned with her arm and Sam and Bobby had no choice but to follow her out into the main viewing area at the center of the stadium. All the way at the other side, Castiel was being held by two men shaped-creatures that let go of him once their group had arrived.

"Good evening, Castiel," Eve called out.

"Evening," he said back, standing and rubbing his sore shoulders.

Eve touched her finger against Sam's cheek, tracing a line to his chin.

"Are you enjoying your stay?"

Castiel took a breath in through his nose and straightened his back. "Can't say much about the accommodations."

"Oh, I am so sorry about that, _angel_ ," she said, mockingly hurt, putting her hand over her heart.

The wolf-Bobby slinked away from Eve and began to walk towards Castiel and circled around him. The angel knew he wanted no harm to come to his friend so he remained in place as Eve took a walk towards him.

"Do you surrender?" she asked, standing before him. "Would you like to become my new pet?"

Castiel steeled himself and, leaning directly into her face, said in his deepest register, "No."

Eve smirked at him and Castiel blinked his eyes. When he looked again, she was completely gone. A low growl from behind had Castiel turning around to face the wolf and while he was distracted someone grabbed him by the upper body and held onto him tightly.

"Hey Cas," Sam growled in his ear, "Mother isn't pleased with your performance."


	17. Battle Royale

Castiel tapped into his reinstated power source and easily flew far away from Sam, all the way to the other side of the stadium and out of his reach. He looked up and could see a lit window where he knew that Eve was watching their every move. He was about to give her a show she would never forget.

He turned back to the stadium at large and motioned to his attacking friends. "Come and get me _boys_."

* * *

Within the closed confines of her luxury box, Eve sat on her cushiony seat and gently petted her son who was watching the proceedings totally enraptured.

"Watch him, son. Know his weaknesses, know his strengths. I know you will do me proud."

"Yes, Mother."

* * *

Sam attacked first; his mouth opened exposing his sharp teeth and claw fingered hand extended. Castiel dodged the claw and punched Sam on the right cheek, giving the vamp a distraction as he fell to the hard ground. Castiel then turned, hearing a deep growl a short distance behind his left ear. Bobby the wolf was walking a short circle around him and Castiel walked in the opposite direction to him.

"Come on Bobby," Castiel whispered, "Come and get me like we both know Eve wants you to." He chanced a look beyond his shoulder and Castiel sensed that Sam was getting back up on his feet.

"Castiel," Sam said wiping the blood away from his mouth, "we just want us to all be a family again. Together."

The Firebird turned and extended a hand out towards him and then turned back to the wolf and raised his other hand. All of them had stopped moving for the moment and Castiel closed his eyes and began to whisper the words of a powerful cleansing ritual that all angels knew but only the Archangels were powerful enough to perform, in its entirety, solo.

The Archangels and the Firebirds.

When Castiel opened his eyes, though he could not see it himself, his eyes glowed with the burning orange light of the sun and from the palms of his hands fire shot out striking both Sam and Bobby in the chests, causing them to fall back.

* * *

Chimera had never seen anything like this before. What was this creature that controlled fire so easily?

"What is he doing? Mother?" Chimera asked.

He looked to her but, strangely, her face had gone as pale as a ghost's.

"Mother?" he asked again.

Mother was afraid? No, Mother was terrified.

When he received no response, the Chimera jumped to his feet, ran to the window and broke through the glass to enter the stadium. The small but seemingly powerful being, upon hearing the commotion, looked up. The orange light disappeared from his eyes and they were blue and familiar for some reason. He said only one word before Chimera attacked.

"Dean?"

* * *

_The four of them were back at Bobby's house after the brothers' trip back from 1861. The package from Samuel Colt lay opened on Bobby's desk and the bottle sat precariously on top._

_"I can't believe it. It worked," Sam said._

_Dean picked up the bottle and examined it in the light as best as he could. "Cas, are they really phoenix ashes? It's not as though we shouldn't trust Sam Colt but the dude could've very easily left us a bottle of two hundred year old dirt and I don't really want to take any chances on this," Dean said, tossing the bottle to the angel._

_Castiel caught it and removed the lid to pour a small sample onto his hand. He rubbed it between his fingers and nodded. "It is indeed phoenix ash. You have nothing to worry about."_

_"Awesome," Dean said while letting out a breath of air._

_"Cas," Sam said, "you gotta leave or something cause we were about to order a pizza and -."_

_"He's not going anywhere until he's completely healed - isn't that right, Castiel?" Bobby said._

_"Why? What happened when we were gone?" Dean asked, turning from one to the other._

_"It is not of impor-"_

_"Rachel shish-kabobed him a few hours ago. He's barely healed from it and - don't give me that look boy. You know it's true."_

_"I must return to heaven," Castiel said as he attempted to stand._

_"No," Bobby said, "what you need is to rest. Son, you were leaking grace like blood."_

_"She cut you that deep?" Sam asked, his voice dropping an octave._

_"I am fine..."_

_"No you're not," Dean said with finality._

_"Dean..."_

_"Cas," Dean said putting a hand on his shoulder, "you're staying. End of discussion. Heaven can wait a few more hours for its General."_

_And Dean smiled and the discussion was over._

Dean was most definitely not smiling right now as he continued punching his friend wherever his fist connected with skin. Castiel was laying flat after being knocked off of his feet from the winged creature who most definitely did not recognize him in the slightest.

"Dean?" Castiel tried again.

The creature's mouth opened and from deep in its throat a light began to form. Castiel barely managed to fly away in time as a wave of fire struck the spot where his head was moments before. Dean turned his head and said with a snarl, "Coward."

Under his breath, Castiel began to utter the words of the cleansing ritual again but a jolt of electricity traveled up his body, shocking him. Castiel fell and from the sound of another loud thump, Dean succumbed as well.

"That's enough," Eve said from high above. "Guards, return them to their rooms."

The guards began to lift Castiel and Dean to their feet before one asked, "What about the other two?"

Castiel heard a sharp intake of breath followed by a sigh.

"Send them to the fourth floor."

"The fourth?" the guard asked.

"Yes, I have no further use for them now."

"Yes, Mother."

Castiel opened his eyes and hazily caught sight of Dean as he was being taken elsewhere. The creature that was his greatest friend looked back at him, confusion and anger marring his face. Dean snapped his sharp teeth at him and then passed out as the guards held him upright, dragging him through the doors. Castiel suddenly felt the prick of something and everything suddenly began to get fuzzy around him as he last felt someone dragging him away too. They were half way down the hall when awareness totally failed him and he was out like a light.


	18. Perchance to Dream

Sam felt different. Slowly, his mind registered the fact that he was lying on hard concrete and whatever room this was, it was very brisk. He tried opening his eyes but the light that came through was too bright so he shut them again. Then he heard someone groan from a short distance away.

"Dean?" he murmured.

The other person coughed twice and said, "No."

It was Bobby. Sam twisted around until he was lying on his back and tried opening his eyes again. This time the brightness abated quickly and he brought his hand up to his face and rubbed his cheek. Curiously, he looked at his hands and instead of claws for fingernails, he had regular fingernails. He then put his finger into his mouth and quickly probed his teeth. Regular teeth.

"Hey Bobby," he said, "Are my eyes red?"

He turned to where Bobby shakily stood and the man came closer and leaned over him. Bobby stared and Sam felt something flutter in his chest. The other man frowned.

"No - they are completely and totally normal, son."

* * *

Castiel felt thirsty. He opened and closed his mouth a few times, trying to get rid of a sour taste as he sat up and rubbed his head.

"You're awake."

He turned and across the room was a giant glass window showing another room probably identical to his own. Leaning against the glass was Dean, or whatever the thing was that Eve turned him into.

"I am," Castiel answered as he got to his feet. He still felt the lingering effects of the serum which in turn caused him to stumble but he walked to the glass and looked ahead. Dean had his arms crossed against his bare chest and his black wings ( _wings!_ ) were held tightly against his back. Castiel stopped before the glass and shook his head.

"What has she done to you," Castiel murmured gloomily.

Dean leaned forward until they were looking each other eye to eye. "What are you talking about?"

"Dean..."

Suddenly, out of nowhere really, Dean became agitated like this was something he had been puzzling over since he'd awakened. "Who is Dean? The other one called me that too."

Did Castiel really want to be the one to remind him of who he was? Castiel looked into his friend's tainted eyes and sighed.

"Eve is not your mother. Your mother was a human woman named Mary Winchester. You had a father and you have a younger brother. Your name is Dean Winchester and you are...you are..."

You are _what_? They had never actually had a term for what the two of them were to each other. My charge? My friend? My broth-?

Dean smacked his palms loudly against the glass making Castiel jump and he leaned forward.

"I am _what_?" Dean practically growled.

Castiel looked away for a second and then back with determination. "You are...my greatest friend and I will do everything within my power to help you become the man you once were, once again."

Silence surrounded the both of them, so thick you could almost think nothing had been said at all. Then it began as a chuckle. Then a guffaw.

"Man, seriously," Dean got out before more laughing overwrought anymore words.

He turned and walked away from Castiel and the Firebird's shoulders slumped. Where had his best friend gone and what in the world did Eve leave behind?

* * *

Chimera flopped down onto his cot, laid his head on his pillow and put his arms behind his head. Him? A measly, weak human? If that wasn't the most hilarious thing he'd ever heard. Gently his eyelids fluttered shut and he dozed off on the road to sweet dreams.

_He was standing in a room of a house where from the corner of his eye he could see fire roaring from the ground, up. He turned and there was the strange man from the other room, this time wearing a long tan coat over a suit and tie. He stared back at him looking resigned to whatever fate decided for him._

_"Let me explain," he began to say but, unbidden, words came from what Chimera believed to be his own mouth._

_"You're in it with him? You and Crowley have been going after Purgatory together? You have, huh? This whole time."_

_The flames licked at the bottom of the long coat but the fabric did not catch flame._

_"I did it to protect you. I did it to protect all of you."_

_A third voice appeared and Chimera turned to see the tall guy, Sam, speak. "Protect us how? By opening a hole into monsterland!"_

_"He's right, Cas." another voice, the old guy (whatever his name was) said sadly. "One drop got through, and it was Eve. And you want to break down the entire dam?"_

_"To get the souls," the guy said as if all of this made some sort of twisted sense to him, "I can stop Raphael. Please, you have to trust me."_

_"Trust you?! How in the hell are we supposed to trust you now?" Sam asked._

_The angel looked up and right at him, eye for eye, and said with compassion, "I'm still me. I'm still your friend." And the room exploded in a burst of white and orange light._

Chimera jolted awake and immediately his eyes looked to the two way window where the angel was still watching him rest, an expressionless mask settled upon his face. For only a second. A smirk appeared and he leaned forwards and said in a low voice, "What were _you_ dreaming about?"

Chimera shuddered and turned away, facing the wall.

Damned if that tone, that sentence didn't seem incredibly familiar too.

* * *

A door opened and Sam and Bobby flinched from the light that leaked inside.

"You two awake?"

They looked and a girl no older than fourteen walked towards them with two bundles of clothes held in her hands.

"Obviously," Bobby said. "What's your name?"

"Lucy," she said putting the bundles on the ground before them.

"Lucy," Sam said, trying to give her his best puppy-dog eyed look, "what's going on? Where are we?"

She looked back and forth between them and said, "You're both in the feeding quarters."

"Feeding quarters?" Sam asked.

"Yeah."

Sam and Bobby shared a look. "What's the 'feeding quarters' then - are we going to be fed some food or -"

She looked up at them then and shook her head. " _You_ are the food. These are your new clothes and someone will be back to collect you in (she looked down at a watch on her wrist) two hours."

And she turned and left. Sam went through the bundle and all it was, was a white tunic shirt and plain white pants.

"All right then," Bobby said clapping his hands, "we've got two hours. How're we getting out of here?"


	19. Out

Castiel wanted nothing more than to be in that room by Dean's side and help him to remember his past. He had already attempted transporting himself but unfortunately something was blocking him. Looking at Dean's back one last time, Castiel returned to his small cot, took a seat and for the first time in a long time, asked for some sort of revelation from the one being who never wanted to be found.

* * *

Now was as good a time as any to get some sleep. Chimera tried to ignore what the guy had said before but the more he tried to stop it, the more images appeared before his eyes. _Entering a strange room being held up by two people. Needles being put into his arms. PainBloodScreams._

What was this insanity? Was the guy speaking the truth?

Sitting up, Chimera saw that the guy was sitting on his bed with his eyes closed muttering to himself. Closing his eyes, Chimera concentrated his hearing on what was being said.

* * *

"Father," Castiel sighed, "I require some assistance. I know that I do not deserve your help but - but this has gone on for far too long."

Castiel looked up to the ceiling and shook his head.

"Why will you not help your children? They _need_ to be saved. They do not deserve what is being thrust upon them. Heal them and not with another Apocalypse. Not with angels or demons or, or purgatory spawn. The world needs its Father. I cannot do it on my own. Help me to do what you wish, I beg of you."

It happened instantaneously. Castiel turned to the side as his door was thrown open to reveal - Bobby and Sam. They weren't the same as before though. They were saved. Healed and now one hundred percent human.

"Come on Cas, we've gotta move," Sam said, reaching out his hand.

From the corner of his eye, Castiel could see that other room. Not yet. They weren't going to leave him behind. Not this time. Not again. With the door open, the warding magic was broken. Castiel was in Dean's room within a matter of nanoseconds. He grabbed him before he could protest and then went back for Bobby and Sam and he transported all three of them as far away from the scene as possible.

They all landed in a heap on the rug in Bobby's living room.

"Ugh, you need to work on your landings," Sam said rubbing a sore spot in his lower back.

"I believe it was once said that you would be better to bend your knees," Castiel said back.

"That's if I knew where we were going not -"

_"Where are we?"_

Everyone turned to see Dean standing in a defensive crouch, looking around the room, studying every corner, and trying to find any means of escape. Without saying a word, Castiel grabbed Dean by the wrist and flew the both of them downstairs to the still intact panic room, deposited him on the floor and shut the door before reappearing upstairs. Sam was the only one there and before Castiel could ask what happened to Bobby, Sam simply said, "Jody."

"He could not wait?"

Instead of answering, Sam only shrugged and motioned to the basement. "Does he remember anything?"

Castiel hated disappointing him. "No," Castiel said and then looked away.

He heard Sam sigh before the taller man walked to the couch and collapsed onto it. Sam put his head in his hands and rubbed his forehead.

"We'll give him some time," Castiel said taking the seat beside him.

"What if I can't get my brother back, Cas? What if he's gone forever?"

"He is not gone, Sam. He is definitely in there. We'll save him and then, afterwards, we'll save everyone else."

* * *

The walls were made of a strange metal that burned his hands whenever he touched them. It was small and so cramped that he could not even extend his wings to their fullest so he could feel relaxed.

"Mother," he shouted to the heavens. "Mother! Mother, save me!"

"I am sorry but she will not be able to hear you down here, Dean."

Chimera turned to see the blue eyes of the other creature from behind the metal door. "What are you?" Chimera asked.

After a second, the creature answered, "I am the Firebird and I will purge the planet of the disease which means to destroy it."

"And what disease is destroying it?" Chimera asked with trepidation.

"Eve," the Firebird spat.

Chimera blinked and the blue eyes were gone. It took exactly ten minutes before Chimera felt that the walls were too small and that his path back to his home, back to his Mother, was getting smaller by the minute. He raged, bouncing off the walls in his attempt to escape but it was no use. He was trapped. He stood at the center of the room just as the latch to the door creaked and the door opened revealing the tall guy. He smelled different than before. He was holding a tray in his hand with a covered plate on it. Chimera walked towards the furthest wall from him as the guy came into the room.

"We thought you might get hungry. Luckily our friend was recently on a supply run otherwise...this is something that's apparently extremely rare to find. Man, I was really out of the loop to not know that almost all of the beef in the country is only found on the east coast."

The guy chuckled and looked up, moving his hair out of his face. His eyes were shimmering with unshed tears and for reasons unknown to him, Chimera felt his throat closing up.

"I'm Sam," the guy said. "Cas, Bobby and I are going to be upstairs. Just call out when you're ready and we'll talk."

The guy, Sam, then turned away. Walked out the door and shut it. He looked through the hole one more time and then was gone. Chimera looked at the tray, felt a rumble in his stomach and lifted the cover. On a small plate was a cooked circle of meat surrounded by bread on its top and bottom. He leaned down and gave it a gentle sniff. Carefully, Chimera removed the bread, picked up the meat and stuffed it into his mouth. While chewing, he lowered himself to the ground and just stared long and hard at the far wall across from him.


	20. Wait

Days passed quickly. Everyday either Bobby, Sam or Castiel would bring Dean a meal and when it came time to take the tray away it would be empty of food but none of them could get a word out of him. The sun was setting on their fourth day of escaping and it was once again Castiel's turn to bring down the tray.

"Think we'll get anything out of him this time," Bobby asked, looking up from the game of poker he and Sam were playing.

"Perhaps we are wearing him down," Castiel said with a shrug. "I will attempt another conversation with him. Sam was able to get close yesterday."

Sam looked up and frowned. "Um, I don't know if you can really count a 'thank you' as progress..."

Castiel groaned and vanished from the spot.

"Hey Bobby, do you think Cas is okay with this whole Firebird/Angel thing?" Sam asked.

"Doubt it," Bobby said handing out the cards. "Nothing we can do about it though but wait and see."

* * *

The door began to creak open and the Firebird walked slowly inside with a new tray of food.

"Are you well?" the creature asked, placing down the tray and looking at him with strange melancholy.

"Let me go back to where I belong," Chimera said. He was at the moment lying on the cot looking up at the ceiling fan as it twirled around and around...

"Ah, you can speak more than a few words. And no, I cannot allow that."

Chimera snorted and turned away, now facing the blank wall. He waited for the sound of displaced air that signaled that he was once again on his own but for some reason the guy was sticking around.

"Do you remember anything?" the Firebird asked.

"Remember what?" Chimera asked, turning over and sitting up so they could finally lock eyes. "Being this so called "human" that you think I am? Well, I don't and I'm not. I'm this... this _thing_. A monster. Always have been, always will be."

The Firebird's eyes disappeared into slits as he asked, "And just how far back does your memory reach?"

Chimera opened his mouth, about to say something...but he didn't know what to say. The first thing he could remember was only a week ago. The day when he first awoke.

"None of your business," he said instead and hoped that would be enough.

He turned back to the wall and waited. A few seconds later he heard the sound of wings and when he looked over his shoulder, he was once again by himself.

* * *

Bobby was just dealing out their next hand when the seat next to him suddenly had Castiel sitting on it.

"Deal me in," he sighed and Bobby handed him some cards.

"Any progress?" Sam asked, rearranging his cards.

"Perhaps," Castiel said. "Time will tell. I'll take two cards please, Bobby."

* * *

He didn't want to touch the food but he was hungry and couldn't help himself. Today it was a bowl of liquid - soup his mind supplied. He grabbed the bowl and began to drink the liquid down, not bothering with the utensil as it would just slow him down.

It wasn't that bad. He didn't remember having soup before - but maybe he did.

A soup with rice...and tomatoes and –

Chimera dropped the bowl and it shattered against the concrete floor, the liquid wetting his bare feet. His brain; it felt like it was throbbing inside of his skull. There were bright pinpricks of light going off in his mind. While he was seeing the bright pricks of light behind his eyelids, there was also a woman. Blonde haired and blue eyed, smiling at him, holding a bowl of that red soup in her hands and some nice saltine crackers.

_"Here you go Dean. This'll make the bad feeling go bye, bye." She gently ran her fingers through his hair and his body simply relaxed to her invisible touch. Then she began to hum a song._

He knew her - but why?

"Dean?" he heard someone say nearby. A male voice this time.

There was a warm hand against his shoulder and he looked into Sam's eyes and asked, "Why don't I know you?"

"Because Eve doesn't want you to. But Dean -"

"Iam **not** Dean"

"Cas, I need some help in here!"

The Firebird appeared and grasped Chimera on the side of his face. They locked eyes for a second and Chimera's vision blurred before he could no long keep his eyes open.

* * *

Castiel and Sam were just laying Dean down on the cot when Bobby finally arrived downstairs.

"What happened?"

"I don't know," Castiel said, looking to Sam.

"I was just checking up on him and he was freaking out," Sam said, trying his hardest to not sound upset over the matter and just totally failing.

"So then you just put him under, Feathers?" Bobby asked.

"Yes, I really had no other choice in the matter."

Sam contemplatively put his hand to his chin and thought it over. Castiel noticed the look and asked Sam what was wrong.

"Cas, you're an angel again, right?"

"…I believe that has been established."

Sam turned and looked at him, begging him silently to not protest his wish, before saying, "I know about how in the past you visited Dean while he was sleeping to speak with him."

"You're suggesting..."

"Cas goes inside of Dean and tries to fix him from the inside out?" Bobby said.

Castiel now contemplated Dean - so different and so lost to all of them. "I can attempt it though I do not know for how long it will take."

"But you can try?" Sam asked, sounding ready for anything.

"Yes," Castiel said while nodding, "I can try."

Sam stood up and Castiel dragged the chair against the floor so he could sit beside the cot. He turned and nodded to both humans before taking Dean's hand into his and giving it a gentle squeeze. Not letting go, he shut his eyes and concentrated.

* * *

_He was standing on the side of a road watching Sam get bitten by the new Eve and then once she was finished with him, she turned to Dean._

_"As for you - ."_

* * *

Castiel slouched in his chair and Bobby sighed.

"That's that then."

"What're we going to do now?" Sam asked.

"Cas has this situation all under control. Well," Bobby said while scratching his head under his cap, "Jody mentioned a group of women being held a few towns over. Rescue mission?"

Sam chuckled. "Jumping right back into the fire? Sounds good to me. What do you have in mind?"


	21. And See

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so here's what you need to know - anything in italics are the memories that they are viewing and the non italic bits are the interaction between the characters. I hope you guys like it. Enjoy.

Eve sauntered over to Dean so, without thinking, Castiel raised his hand and -.

"Stop."

Castiel turned and behind him was the transformed Dean, wings and all. Slowly Castiel lowered the hand and the other Dean walked up to stand beside him, saying nothing. They turned as one and Eve bent down to grab past-Dean on the arm.

_The sound of a gunshot rang through the air and Eve suddenly had a bullet hole through her head._

_"Nice try," she said with a smirk._

_Slowly Dean stood to face her. He still held his gun out before him, hoping to hold her off. He knew that there was nothing he could possibly do, but he couldn't let her win. Not without trying._

_"I might not have any phoenix ash but I swear I will do anything I can to get you away from my planet, you BITCH."_

"We can only observe here," Castiel said, looking to the creature that replaced his friend.

The creature nodded and they looked back to see Dean walking towards his unconscious brother.

_"What'd you do to him?" Dean asked quietly._

_Eve wiped away a droplet of blood from her lips and smiled to herself privately. "I'm creating a new world order, dear Winchester, so I'm going to need a few new Alpha's to fill the void left behind by your precious little angel and his demonic partner-in-crime."_

_From on the ground, Sam began to moan and shudder as whatever Eve put into his bloodstream began to take effect._

_"Sam," Dean said despairingly but hands grabbed him by the shoulders, lifting him up and holding him back._

_"Dean. Dean, Dean, Dean - you know I can't let you leave."_

_Dean struggled but he could not get out. There was no escaping Eve's goons._

Castiel turned to watch the creature's reaction and his face was carefully blank though there was a gentle frown line between his brows.

_Eve walked a step closer to Dean and - the scene shifted._

"What is happening?" Castiel asked.

"That's all I remembered," the creature said.

The two of them were suddenly standing in an abandoned house, at night.

"What is this?" the creature asked confused. "I don't remember..."

Castiel couldn't help but smile. "I do."

They turned around and _Castiel of the past with the tan trenchcoat was sitting in a chair, at a table, with a jug of holy oil and a lantern on it. Past Dean walked into the room while putting on his jacket, opened his mouth to speak and - the scene shifted again._

"I enjoyed that memory," Castiel murmured over the creature's snort.

"Like something interesting was about to happen."

The next scene stilled and they were in a room much like the ones they were held in a short time ago. _This Dean of the past was tied down to a shiny metal table, his hands held in leather straps and he was unconscious._

"What is this?" Castiel asked, turning to face the current incarnation.

"I don't...I don't know. I don't remember."

* * *

Why was he lying on a strange cot? What had happened in this place?

A door swished open and both Chimera and the Firebird, Castiel his mind supplied, turned around and _Eve walked in beside a man wearing a long white lab coat. They stood beside the unconscious man_ (himself) _and Mother stared down at him with a greedy look in her eyes._

_"How is he faring?" she asked._

_"The blood that we are putting into his system, to your specification, has been mostly ineffective thus far -"_

_"Well then up the dosage."_

Dosage?

_"Put more creature blood into him? Mother -"_

_"Do it."_

Castiel turned to Chimera but he refused to meet his eyes. This was most definitely his body, lying in this place. He could strangely feel it, like a reflex memory.

_"Call me if there are any changes but only if they are effective. I am a busy woman you know," Eve said, giving her child a vicious grin and again the scene changed._

"We do not need to -" the Firebird began to say, but no.

"Shut up," Chimera said and they were suddenly standing in a brightly lit child's bedroom where a young blonde haired boy was playing with small cars on a track.

_The door opened and an older man with brown hair and kind eyes poked his head inside and said, "Heya, Dean."_

_"Daddy," the small boy cheered, jumping to his feet and running into the man's open arms._

_The man picked him up and held him tightly as they left the room and walked together down the hall._

Chimera and Castiel followed them and they stopped at another room. The pair looked inside and the blonde woman from his earlier vision was sitting on a rocking chair holding a bundle in blankets, looking down at the bundle and smiling.

_The blonde boy_ (himself) _was staring down at the blankets and suddenly a little pudgy hand reached out and touched him on the nose. The little boy gasped in surprise._

_"Say hi to your little brother, Dean. His name is Sammy."_

_"Hi Sammy," little Dean said and leaned over and kissed the baby on the forehead._

"Sam," Chimera murmured.

A hand touched him on the shoulder and he looked over to see Castiel looking just as upset as he felt. And the scene shifted for a third time. They were once again in the lab and Chimera was looking into the face of himself. Still tied down to the metal table however this time he was partially conscious. Just sedated enough to not be able to fight back. And Eve was there as well, on her own.

_"I am going to give you a fresh start, my love. No pesky past of lost brothers or hunting my other children to hold you back. You will be_ **my** _hunter. Just do this one little thing for me," she said, running her fingers through his hair, smoothing his fringe. "Don't_ **touch** _the wall_. _"_

Eve touched him on the forehead and Chimera fell to his own knees as he felt still the echo of what Eve had done to him on that day.

* * *

Inhaling a deep breath in, Castiel awoke from his self-aware slumber and looked to the one on the bed beside him, his mind reeling with the knowledge he'd just gleaned.

Could it be possible? Was it that simple? Had Eve truly put up a memory barrier in Dean's mind much like Death had for Sam?

"Dean! Dean, you need to get up. Dean!"

The Chimera let out a screech and then looked at Castiel. He sat up and grabbed him by the shoulders before saying in a ruined voice, "Destroy it."

"Destroy..."

"The block," he said now despairingly. "Destroy this _wall-thing_."

Dean looked into his eyes pleadingly and a single tear fell from his eye.

"Please."

Castiel steeled himself and touched Dean on the forehead.


	22. Broken

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to all of you who continue to read this. Enjoy!

_One minute he was on the side of a road, clutching his brother as he shook in his arms and the next he was trapped in some kind of room straight out of Cuckoo's Nest. Or like the place Anna was when they'd first caught wind of her case. He punched the metal door using all of his strength to either try to get it to open or make enough noise so that someone else would open it for him. There was no luck on either end so far._

_"You can't keep me in here!" Dean shouted to no one._

_For some strange reason, the small circular window on the door was a few inches taller than Dean so he had to just stand on his toes so he could see outside. Right now, all he could see was the door to the room across from him and the top of someone's shaggy head as they sluggishly walked to his door, dragging something in their wake with squeaky wheels._

_Dean stepped away and looked back at the wall that was closing in behind him as the front end of a hose slid into the room and after a few seconds a hissing noise emanated from it. Within minutes, the room began to get hazy with some kind of smoke. Some kind of gas. Dean's eyes widened just seconds before he began to breathe in the gas and slowly fell from the wall against his back into unconsciousness._

* * *

_The next time Dean awoke, he was lying on a hard metal table while some guy in a white coat stood over him, looking over something on a clipboard._

_"Was'appening?" Dean slurred._

_"He's waking up," someone else said behind his shoulder. Eve._

_"That shouldn't happen. I need to readjust the..."_

_Dean heard nothing more._

* * *

_Where were they? Where was Bobby? Cas? Sam? Anyone?_

_His body felt heavy, like there was something weighing him down. Dean shifted his head to look at his side and blearily noticed a tube coming out of his left arm. From inside of the tube there was some sort of black liquid entering his body. He tried moving his arm but it was no use. Physically, he was totally weak. Letting out a pitiful sounding moan that hid his fear only marginally, Dean waited for darkness to find him and put him under once again._

* * *

_The angel was standing in the barn, saying that he was raised despite all of the evil he had performed on the souls of the deceased while in hell._

" _I have questions. I have doubts. I don't know what is right and what is wrong anymore."_

_The angel put his hand over his mouth and nodded. Everything was going to be okay._

" _Angels are watching over you."_

_He watched as the angel which had become his friend was the first to look away because he knew that everything he had done, was trying to do, was wrong from the jump and he still believed it to be right._

* * *

_There was a noise he heard as he slept. As the days or weeks or months went by, it slowly became louder. It was a melody. It wasn't anything by Zeppelin but it was...soothing._

_Shutting off his exterior senses, Dean lost himself in it. There was nothing so bad in the world if it created that beautiful music._

* * *

_That smell. What was it? Could it be…blood? His mouth salivated at the prospect of ripping apart skin and bones to reach the glorious red stream hidden within._

* * *

_He was sitting side by side with a shaggy haired man who was talking to him. This was how it always was and nothing would change it._

_The man was falling into a hole._

_They were clutching each other in fear, filled with the hope that if this was it then they were going out together._

_His brother was screaming as he was being torn to shreds by the worst beasts imaginable._

_He himself was screaming to the heavens as his brother was taken away from him by something as small and insignificant as a knife._

_They were always together. Had each other's backs. Always willing to do the impossible for each other. They were feared by angel, demon and monster alike. They were the -_

* * *

Sam and Bobby came in through the back door to find Castiel eating a peanut butter cookie from off the tray Jody had dropped off a few days earlier.

"Hey Cas," Sam said as he walked by, smacking a hand against his shoulder, "how's it going?"

"It is going...Sam, I have to tell you something -"

"No," a voice said from the basement stairs.

The three turned their heads and somehow, having escaped from the panic room, it was Dean.

"How did you -?" Bobby began to ask but Dean held up his hand and shook his head.

"Melted the lock on the door," he said before letting out a tired and broken laugh.

Three sets of eyes watched as Dean walked into the kitchen fully and sat at the table across from Castiel. He rubbed his eyes and groaned. "Cas..." he said and that was it.

Sam looked from his brother to Castiel, whose eyes had gotten considerably wider. "Did he just say...?"

"Dean," Bobby said, leaning an arm against the back of the chair as Dean looked up to him, "you with us, son?"

"It's me, Bobby, guys. I'm – I'm sorry."

Dean's body shook with suppressed sobs and Bobby immediately pulled him in for a tight hug. Then Sam came and hugged his brother with a tightness that told him how much he'd been missed. Castiel himself had yet to move but Dean looked across the table at him and nodded. Castiel gave him a small smile back and nodded too.

He then looked to the ceiling and quietly said, "Thank you."

* * *

She was staring out the window, watching the clouds drift by. There was a knock at the door.

"Come in," she said.

Her bedroom door opened and in walked one of her newest daughters.

"Mother," the girl said, falling to one knee.

"Jody," Eve said while smiling, "love. Come closer. Tell me about your travels."

"I know where the Winchesters are," Jody said with a proud glow in her eyes. "We can lay siege and get them back."

Eve rubbed her daughter's cheek and smiled benevolently. "Tell me more."

* * *

Castiel was sitting in the auto yard watching the sunset when he heard the sound of wings by his side. The car that he was sitting on suddenly jostled and there was a groan from the other person's presence.

"How do you get used to the wings man?"

"Technically I was created with them. I have had them my entire life until they were taken away from me."

"And how exactly did you get them back again?"

Castiel finally turned to look Dean in the eye again and while his face had more or less the same sort of smirk he'd always had, the protruding sharp teeth and the neon green eyes were going to need some getting used to.

"You, you do not know what has happened in the past year?"

"From Sam's gist, its better that I don't know but you know me man - never one to take no for an answer."

"Yes, that is true."

Even a year later and this was something he still had problems discussing. But this was Dean...

"I was cast out of heaven by Raphael approximately four weeks after being held in the ring of holy fire. Raphael took my grace away from me and I jettisoned from heaven, down. I arrived in Bobby's home and, well as the saying goes, the rest is history."

"So you spent a year as a human?"

"Yes, I had no grace, no nothing. Bobby - he took his time with me. I am so grateful to have been able to have a friend when everything else had been torn away."

Dean thoughtfully looked away for a minute to allow Castiel the time to compose himself.

"I see you kept your emotions."

"Yes," Castiel said looking at him again, "I am grateful for that as well."

"So, I have to ask man - you're not an angel, you're not human. What the hell is a Firebird?"

"A Firebird is...it is a different class of angels that have been extinct since the Great Fall. They are, were up there with the archangels. I remember one of them, Joan, from my youth -. "

"Wait, you had a childhood?"

Castiel stifled a laugh and shook his head. "That, Dean, is a story for another time when all of this is put to an end."

"Right, right - go on then," Dean said, waving his hand.

Castiel nodded his thanks and continued.

"Anyway, Joan was kind to us who were still so young. She would use her fire to form the shapes of animals newly discovered in earth's most beautiful garden. My garrison as you know was stationed to watch the earth and so I drank up everything in order to properly keep my post."

"Wait, watching earth? You never told me that."

Castiel frowned and thought about it again. "No, I believe -"

"No and when I say you didn't Cas, then you didn't. You don't always tell a full story and even when you do you neglect to include every little detail."

Suddenly the conversation had morphed into something spiked and thorny that hurt Castiel's throat when he swallowed.

"You remember everything from before then I suppose."

"Every word. It was that dream I had back at the compound. Us in the house. You in the holy fire ring. You told me I could trust you."

"I never opened purgatory, Dean," Castiel said quietly. "I haven't seen Crowley since that night."

"Since that night?"

"How else was I able to escape your ring?"

Dean hand waved him before saying, "You haven't seen him?"

Castiel looked at Dean and only Dean saw that Castiel's eyes had taken on a strange red/orange glow. His anger was getting the better of him. Talking in an even lower register that shook the ground beneath their feet, Castiel said, "If I had then I believe that things would be much more different now than they are, don't you?!"

On base animal instinct, Dean himself growled deep in his throat and they had a stare off that neither one wanted to lose. He extended his wings and took flight, flying back to the house. Feeling heat against his back, Dean looked back to see Castiel one moment and a column of fire the next that reached the sky. Dean reached the back door and walked into the kitchen to see Sam sitting at the table reading some ancient tome.

"Everything okay?" his brother asked.

"Um, define okay?"

Sam sat up and stared with his mouth open. "What did you do?"

"Nothing."

"Dean...did you bring up... You did, didn't you? Damn it, Dean - you couldn't leave it alone."

Before Dean could say anything in his defense, Sam was out of his chair and outside. What? What did he do?

"Get in here boy," Bobby called from the other room.

Dean stared out the window and followed the voice into the den. Bobby was sitting at his desk, also with a big book before him, but at the moment his hands were folded in front of him and he watched Dean enter the room and sit on the chair across from him.

"We need to talk."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again for reading. Next chapter includes a lot of talking and an angel visiting - one you probably wouldn't expect. See you all soon.


	23. A Warning From Above

"Are your listening ears on, boy?" Bobby asked and without waiting for an answer he continued to speak.

"Castiel has been living here for the last year and a half, ever since he just appeared half dead on my living room floor. And it wasn't easy for him in the beginning, let me tell you. Sitting outside, starin' at the sky. Waiting for something that was never going to come. And then one day, one day he came up to me and said he was ready."

"Ready?"

"Ready to hunt. Ready to help out. The angels weren't coming back for him so it was time to move on. Well, until one angel did show up but it's not really my place to tell you."

"So, you taught Cas how to hunt?"

"He always knew how of course," Bobby said with a sigh, "It was just all about finding him the right motivation. Our two man operation was all about finding and rescuing the children whose parents Eve had "taken away" and the young ones had been sold into black market food banks – as the food. It was strange. Kids love Cas, don't ask me why. Gotta be the residual angel in 'im. Cas would ride in disguised as something nonhuman and the idiots Eve created in our planet just did what he asked, no questions. He just walked right out with the kids. Groups of adults take them in after a few days and then we move on to the next job."

"And between jobs?"

Bobby opened his mouth for a second, closed it and tried again. "We...did normal things. I taught him how to drive, how to do his own laundry, how to cook. We watched movies and played cards. It was...it was comforting to have someone in the house for an extended period of time again to help out."

"Did you...did you ever look for us?" Dean asked, looking down at his hands, feeling embarrassed for feeling a need to ask that question.

Bobby sat up straighter in his chair and gave Dean a look that was lethal. "We looked everywhere for you boys. _Everywhere._ Any leads that came in, any news, sent one of us off to investigate. We never, _ever_ gave up."

"I know Bobby, I know. But I was in some lab for months, for months," Dean said pointing his thumb back towards himself, "and I was scared, Bobby. When I was conscious, before Eve put in that - that wall, I was freaking terrified and now look at me."

Bobby didn't look at him, but he knew that this was rationalizing. Dean had changed by Eve's hand and it was going to be a long road back before things would go back to some semblance of normal.

* * *

Sam walked outside just in time to see Castiel's column of flame burn out. He walked over to him and stood by his side while the Firebird took several deep breaths to calm himself.

"Your brother…is an asshole," Castiel said before patting the seat beside him, telling Sam without saying anything that it was fine for him to take a seat.

Sam climbed up onto the car and nodded to himself before saying, "With that wall Eve put up, he forgot about everything that happened before, well, before everything _changed_ and it all came back to him in one go. What'd he say to you?"

"He brought up that night. Crowley. He doesn't completely trust me yet I believe."

Sam nodded and pulled his coat tighter around himself. "You're right, he is an asshole. And a jerk. But a part of me can see his point."

"And that would be?" Castiel asked shrewdly.

"Fear. You don't know Dean like I do and that is how Dean acts when he's terrified. Feeling something like that at such a primal level..."

Castiel turned to look at him and Sam continued.

"I think you are someone that can understand becoming a different species for a time; angels and humans, not exactly the same right?"

"What is your point Sam?"

"Dean's scared Cas. He has all of his memories, all of them and he's still fully Eve's creature. He's acting like everything is okay because that's his default setting. He's never been good at showing his feelings."

Castiel took a moment for himself to think before he said, "So what you're saying is that those instincts are still fully functioning and that was the reason why he said the things he said, the way he said them."

"...Something like that?"

"He is still an asshole. I had absolutely no control over what Eve chose to do to him."

"No but technically it was your meddling that got her to come to this planet in the first place."

And there it was, the other spiny thing lodged this time deep in his stomach that made Castiel feel like he could be sick at any second. These Winchesters always knew when to say the most painful things. Sam tried backtracking, saying, "I'm sorry Cas, it isn't -"

"No, you are right Sam. It is entirely my fault. I just -"

They both heard the sudden fluttering of wings and turned around to see a boy in his late teens with sandy brown hair and bright blue eyes. He wore a sports jacket over a white dress shirt and jeans.

"Greetings Castiel," he said with a lowering of his head.

It took Castiel a minute to recognize the presence beside him; it had been far too long since he'd been visited by any sibling besides Balthazar.

"Samandriel?"

The younger angel smiled and nodded his head, seemingly glad to be remembered. He extended his hand to his brother and after a moment's hesitation Castiel shook it before immediately dropping the hand.

"You're an angel?" Sam asked.

"Yes, and you must be Sam Winchester. Brother of Dean, the righteous man and chosen vessel of Lucifer of the fallen light. You are much taller than I had imagined," the angel said before shaking his hand as well. "I was on Castiel's side from the jump as you say. You were always my favorite older brother, Castiel."

"You're an older brother?" Sam asked just as Castiel asked, "What are you doing here, Samandriel?"

"Balthazar sent me to tell you what is happening. May we accomplish this in a place less…conspicuous?" Samandriel asked, eyeing the wide open yard.

"Of course," Castiel said and both he and Sam jumped down from the hood of the car and walked the distance into the house.

"Bobby?"

"We're in here son."

Castiel swallowed before leading the way into the sitting room where Bobby and Dean were seated. There was a gust of wind against Castiel's cheek and he extended his arms just in time to grab Samandriel before he could attack Dean with his now extended angel blade.

"What - what is he?" Samandriel asked, generally perplexed, his eyes examining the strange creature before him.

"Generally I go by Dean," the older Winchester said before pointing with his chin and asking, "Who's the short fry?"

"Samandriel," Sam answered, "an angel. Cas' younger brother."

"Seriously?"

"What was it you wanted to say, Samandriel?" Castiel asked, hoping to move the conversation along.

"I came to warn you, brother," Samandriel said and the room went quiet. "Raphael knows you are alive now and it is only a matter of time before he searches you out. Balthazar and the others are attempting to hide your path and you have been successful in hiding from our frequency but just one moment of weakness..."

Would bring a hoard to their front door. Castiel knew in the back of his head that this would possibly happen.

"Thank you for alerting me, Samandriel."

"It was my pleasure, brother."

Brother, it felt glorious to hear someone call him that again and truly mean it.

"Well, this is kinda awkward," Bobby said, "but, do you need anything before returning to heaven or...?"

"I'm sorry but I must return immediately."

"Please do not be a stranger," Castiel said and one blink later there were only four people standing in the room instead of five.


	24. Stronger Together

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural
> 
> Another fun chapter here today. Well, fun in the loose sense of the term where all hell is about to break loose. Enjoy!

Bobby was the first to break the silence. "Well I think I should go and start cooking some dinner right about now."

He grabbed Sam by the arm and dragged him out of the room so that they could give Cas and Dean some well-deserved privacy for a much needed conversation.

Neither one of them would look the other directly in the eye but Dean was the one which chose to speak first.

"So, you've got little brother."

"Yes," Castiel responded.

Dean shrugged. "I always thought you were the youngest angel in heaven."

Castiel looked up then. "Whatever made you think that?"

"Dude, you were the most naïve being I'd ever met," Dean said before continuing with, "And now that I know your garrison watched earth for so long, you have no excuse for not knowing -"

"We were onlookers, Dean. Witnesses to fate. I had a mission to watch the work of my Father. It was not until, well, _you_ that our missions, my mission, changed."

"Wait, what?"

Castiel looked up at Dean and murmured the words that once went through his mind twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. " _Intercede and rescue the righteous man. He is our only hope._ Every angel heard that call and select angels were chosen to act." Castiel crossed his arms against his chest and turned in a small circle. "I suppose it was destiny for the two of us to meet and to become friends. Perhaps _that_ was my father's will."

He walked over to the window and looked out to see that one of the rows of old rusted cars near the very back of the lot collapsed.

"Brothers."

Castiel turned back to Dean after he had said that one word.

"Beg pardon?" he asked in uncertainty.

Dean laughed and extended his arms. "Come on man," he said with half of a smile, "Friends...friends sometimes fight and stuff but brothers - brothers always have each other's backs. You're my brother Cas, no ifs ands or buts about it."

Castiel chuckled himself but smiled, looking down at the ground. "Well you do have a peculiar way of showing it."

"What, you couldn't see it?"

Both men allowed themselves a few minutes to get the laughter and nerves out of their systems before Dean pulled Castiel in for a hug, smacking him on the back twice for good measure.

"We good, Cas?"

Castiel nodded against Dean's shoulder and said back, "We're good."

"Awesome," Dean said before pulling away and walking into the kitchen. "Hey Sam, we got any meat left? I'm starving..."

* * *

_That night and many hours later, Dean found himself back in the lab where Eve changed him. He tried moving but he was trapped on that same metal table with no way to escape._

_"Hello my child."_

_Eve leaned her head over him and gently patted him on the cheek. Dean moved his head away and looked to a wall instead._

_"Get away from me you witch."_

_"Is that any way to speak to your Mother?"_

_"My mother was Mary Winchester - you're just some abomination that wants to control the planet."_

_"Come, come; it wasn't all bad."_

* * *

Being an angel once again meant that sleep was no longer necessary to his biology. He knew that the others were down for the count at the moment and as such he was all alone in the attic. The moonlight was barely making it through the dusty, filth covered window and yet Castiel didn't mind it that much. Something about being in the darkness…

Bobby didn't know but, ever since they had returned to his home and ever since he found himself unable to sleep anymore, Castiel spent his nights going through all of the boxes in the attic, trying to learn more about the man who had taken him in. It should have been something he'd already done but, honestly, Castiel had never gotten around to doing it until now. He grabbed the next box and slowly opened it and peeked inside.

There were pictures in this one. Old children's clothes. A couple of books and children's toys. Castiel picked up one of them, a robot that he proceeded to twist the arms and legs of so that it would become a semi-truck. The imagination of humans…

One of the pictures caught his eye. Now, while many were faded in the box and no doubt taken over twenty years ago, this one was still rather new. He was in this picture. Castiel remembered the evening it had been taken. It was during the, well, first end of days – the Lucifer Apocalypse. (How strange to think of these as a series of events rather than one single incident.) They were seated at Bobby's kitchen table, having a conversation about something…unimportant. Dean was seated at the far right end of the table, leaning back in his chair with his hands behind his head and his feet propped up on the kitchen table. Sam was on the other end with his hand extended and his brow furrowed. And Castiel himself, he was in the center, his coat removed as it had needed a good cleaning according to Dean and his head was leaning on his hand as he listened to what Sam was explaining to him. It was a calm night in the midst of so much anger, chaos and confusion.

Castiel placed the picture into his back jeans pocket and proceeded to poke around in the box until the doorbell rang for the first time.

* * *

The doorbell rang for a third time and, tiredly, Bobby wrapped his robe around himself as he went to answer.

"I'm comin'. I'm comin; hold yer horses."

He opened the door to find a chipper looking Jody waiting for him over the threshold.

"Hey Bobby, can I come in?"

Bobby sputtered for a second before shaking his head. "Of course, what is it?"

He stepped aside and Jody walked past him and into the living room where she then proceeded to take a seat on the couch. Bobby shut the door and went into the kitchen to prepare a drink for them.

"How're the boys?" Jody asked.

"Fine. As fine as can be expected."

"Dean's adjusting?"

"Slowly. He's getting a handle on things. Still doesn't remember every little thing though."

"Shame," she said just as Bobby walked into the room, holding a tray with two cups of lukewarm instant decaffeinated coffee.

Bobby handed one to her and took the other for himself as he took a seat beside her. "To Earth," Bobby toasted.

Jody smiled and they clinked their mugs. Jody took a sip as Bobby raised his own to his lips and watched. She felt a strange dryness travel down her throat but she slowly took another drink before laying the cup down.

"You really thought you could pull one over on me, didn't you?" Bobby said, putting his cup on the floor.

"Bo-obby?" Jody spoke stiltedly.

"Eve got to you didn't she?"

Jody couldn't take a breath.

"She's on her way here, right now, isn't she?"

A tear slid down her cheek. "I-I didn't want to. She's just too _strong._ "

"Balls."

"I'm so-sorry."

Bobby gave her a kiss on the top of the head and ran off to gather the others. "Boys, we've got an imminent problem on our hands!" he shouted up the stairs.

There was the sound of pounding footsteps above and Sam appeared at the top of the stairs and then the flutter of wings in flight. Bobby turned to find Castiel very close behind him.

"Dean?" Castiel and Bobby asked at the same time while looking up.

"I'll get him," Sam said and disappeared down the hall.

"What is happening, Bobby?" Castiel asked.

"Jody," Bobby said, miraculously keeping his calm. "Eve got to Jody. Eve knows we're here, like on her way herself, here."

"Guys," Sam said, reappearing, "I can't get him to wake up!"

Bobby turned to tell Castiel to hurry his feathery ass and help but the Firebird was already gone.

* * *

_The melody was getting louder and more insistent as the minutes passed. Eve hummed to him, running her fingers gently through his hair._

_"Almost there."_

* * *

Castiel touched Dean's shoulder and shook him, hoping to startle him enough so he'd wake.

"Dean. Dean, you have to get up. We must leave now!"

A strange noise escaped Dean's lips and Castiel lowered himself to hair it properly. It was a melody of some kind. A few notes, repeating on loop.

"Dean," Castiel tried one more time and when Dean's eyes flew open, the whole house began to shake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only a few more chapters left. Thanks everyone for reading .


	25. Sitting Ducks

There was a moment of peace where the house was stable and they could hear Sam and Bobby talking to each other loudly downstairs.

"What's happening?" Castiel called out.

"Boys, you'd better get down here fast! We've gotta move!" Bobby shouted up the stairs.

Not waiting for Dean to tell him if he was ready or not, Castiel grabbed Dean by the arm and wrapped it around his shoulder, picking him up so they could escape. The house shook again and Castiel heard a loud bang from downstairs which meant something large had fallen. Concentrating, Castiel attempted to fly outside but when he opened his eyes, they were still upstairs in the bedroom.

"Damn it," he muttered. There was no doubt in his mind that Eve was blocking his grace from performing to full capacity. "Come on Dean. We must leave."

"I...I...I don't want to."

"What," Castiel asked, turning Dean around so that he could face him eye to eye.

"I don't...want to leave, Cas. I have to stay here."

"Why?"

Shiftily, Dean looked at the ground and murmured, "She doesn't want me to."

"Eve has been…you've been talking to Eve?!"

"Cas," Dean said wearily, "she's in my head and I can't...I can't make it stop." He began to hum that tune again and Castiel felt lost.

"Do you know where she is?"

"She's nearby. Somewhere."

"Nearby?"

"I just said that!"

"…Is she hurting you?"

Castiel helped Dean back onto the bed and the winged-man put his head into his hands and sighed.

"You know that feeling when you have something just out of your reach and no matter how far you stretch you can't get it?" Dean asked.

"Better than most people actually," Castiel said kneeling on one knee before him.

"She keeps trying to, to drill our location out of me. Y'know, seeing as how she can't go through Sam or Bobby anymore. I'm like a friggen cell phone tower."

Castiel nodded and thought. "Can _you_ tell me where she is?"

Dean shut his eyes and slowly shook his head. "Sorry man but it's only working one way," he said regretfully.

"I believe that she is even closer than we know," Castiel said before putting a hand on Dean's shoulder and gripping it. "Now, may we go downstairs?"

Dean nodded and together they left the room and walked downstairs.

"Bobby?" Castiel shouted.

"We're outside, boys. Whenever you'd like to join us…?"

The two of them just reached the front door when it slammed shut in their faces by some unseen force.

"What in the hell?" Castiel commented as he looked to Dean.

"Back door," Dean said and they ran the other way. That door also shut just as soon as they reached the kitchen.

"What's going on?" Castiel frowned before walking forward and turning the knob. It remained stubbornly unmoving. "I cannot open the door. We're trapped."

"What do you mean?" Dean asked. "Just zap us outside like you've done a billion times before."

"I am being blocked. Eve's doing, I believe."

"So, we just wait then like sitting ducks?" Dean asked, angrily pulling out one of the chairs at the kitchen table. Castiel took one of the other remaining seats for himself.

"She will come."

They were sitting in silence, staring at either the wall or the table when one of the phones on the wall decided to ring, making both of them jump. Dean was the closest to it so he picked it up and listened.

_"We have you now..."_

* * *

Castiel quickly lunged for the cordless seconds before it hit the ground, hearing the tinny voice of Sam saying, _"Guys, what's going on in there?"_

"Sam," Castiel said into the receiver, "We'll call you back."

He pushed the main power button and put the phone back on the wall. Dean was frowning at the floor, clenching his hands at his sides and not saying anything.

"That was Sam on the phone," Castiel said slowly.

Dean shook his head and refused to look up. "No, it wasn't -"

"Dean," Castiel said, "You are still connected to Eve in your current state and are therefore a hazard. You cannot trust anything but me and what I am saying right now. We need to -"

"What you need to do it put me in the panic room until you can get the doors open and we can get out of here."

Dean looked up then and his eyes were full of regret. "I don't know what Eve is going to have me do to you Cas but we know it's going to be something. Gotta put me on full lockdown, man."

Castiel was about to argue the point but he knew his friend was right.

"Very well," Castiel said placing a gentle hand on Dean's shoulder. Together they walked down the stairs and, with a boatload of regret, Castiel locked his friend inside of the too small metal room. He leaned his head against the door saying a quick prayer to his Father and sighed before stalking back upstairs and returning to the kitchen.

Castiel was about to attempt the doorknob again when he heard someone groaning in the next room over. Jody was still in here, trapped with them. Castiel went to her side and the woman was waking up from whatever Bobby had done to put her under sedation.

When Jody finally opened her eyes, they were not the brown and kind ones that he was used to seeing. Her eyes were a bright red and she snarled at him, showing off too sharp white teeth that looked ready to tear into him the second he let his guard down. She lunged up at him and immediately Castiel put a hand to her head and a bright white light engulfed the room. When it faded, Jody was asleep once more and everything in Castiel's body told him that she was healed. Why couldn't it be that easy with Dean?

* * *

Dean paced around in a small circle trying to ignore the pounding voice inside of his head. A familiar female voice taunted him, trying to make him surrender but he did not want to give up so easily so he fought with all of his will.

_"Dean...Dean..."_

"Shut up!"

_"He's going to have to kill you, Dean. He doesn't have a way of healing you otherwise why hasn't he tried yet? Because he's afraid. He doesn't know how to be an angel anymore. He was human for far too long."_

"No. Cas is going to help me when he has the chance," Dean growled at the ceiling.

_"And if he can't...You're going to be stuck like this forever, Dean. Living forever without your brother and your father-figure as a freak. You're a freak, Dean."_

"Stop it!"

_"You're a monster."_

"I said STOP IT!"

Dean picked up the chair in the room and flung it so hard against the wall that it shattered on impact. He took several deep breaths in and out to try and calm himself but his heart was still racing.

 _"I'll heal you, Dean for I am the great healer,"_ a second voice spoke up. _"I can make you human again."_

"No, you won't."

 _"You don't believe me? You have my word. Just tell me, tell us -_ where are you _?"_

"No."

_"Dean, I can help you save the world. I just need to know how to find you. Both of us want to know where you are..."_

Both?

_"Tell us where you are, my son."_

_"Tell us."_

_"TELL US"_

"Bobby's," Dean whispered. "We're at Bobby's house."

"There," a voice said just behind Dean, "Was that so hard?"

Dean turned and it wasn't just Eve who was standing in there. By her side was a familiar sharply dressed woman of African descent. Eve stepped forward and touched Dean and it felt like a thousand needles pushing themselves into his brain.

"Good to see you again, Winchester," Raphael said and that was the last thing Dean remembered before blacking out.


	26. Humans

Castiel heard the strangled shouting from all the way upstairs. He ran down to the panic room and threw open the door and stopped. His eyes landed on Dean who was lying on the floor with his back against the wall unconscious.

"Dean. Dean, wake up," Castiel said as he moved to be nearer to his friend.

He tried to use his angelic abilities but it would not work. Dean was not waking up. Seemingly, he was trapped inside of his own head.

_"Castiel,"_ a voice said silkily smooth.

Castiel felt his body turn cold. No...

"It's _wonderful_ to see you again, brother."

Carefully, he laid Dean's head back, stood up and turned.

"Raphael," he spat venomously.

Raphael smiled and extended her arms. "See, you do remember your family."

"What are you doing here? What did you do to Dean?"

"Well," Raphael said while walking towards him, "I've been busy making a few new contacts. Making friends."

Castiel understood and was frightened. "Eve."

"That's right, sweetheart," another voice said from behind Castiel.

Castiel looked at her and then back to his brother while frowning. "You are working together. To what end?"

"To what end he asks," Eve said while laughing gleefully. Raphael joined her, her own laughter subdued as though she were unused to the notion of merriment.

"The total destruction of the human race of course," Raphael said, "These little...paramecium have ruined my Father's beautiful creation for far too long."

"Then why are you working with her?" Castiel asked of Eve.

Raphael chuckled. "We have a similar goal in mind. Removing _you_ from the playing field."

"And how would you achieve that?"

"Oh well it's very simple," Eve purred. "Dean; wake up, child."

"No." Castiel wanted to run, but he knew he was trapped. He was stuck in this room with these two maniacs and his brother in arms who, when he opened his eyes, looked at Castiel with a mixture of anger, confusion and sadness.

"We'll leave you both to it," Eve said, giving Dean a quick kiss and then both she and Raphael disappeared.

* * *

He had to fight it. He needed to get his body back under control because this was getting ridiculous. Dean felt like a marionette on short strings as he opened his mouth and released a deadly column of fire.

Castiel dodged the flame and jumped behind the cot which exploded in a ball of fire. He stood and tried again to speak with him.

"Dean, you need to stop this."

Dean flew to Castiel and grabbed him by the neck and squeezed. Castiel tried to fight him off, tried smacking him in the face so he'd let go but he couldn't.

"Fight," Castiel forced out through a closed off throat.

"I _can't_."

"Then - then you leave me no choice."

Dean's hand began to heat up, and it wasn't his doing. Castiel's skin, his whole body, shimmered with an orange glow. He opened his eyes and a bright white light shone through them. Castiel raised his hand and squeezed Dean by the wrist and Dean could feel the intense heat building up. When he saw smoke, Dean's eyes widened and he finally (mercifully) let go and fell back. He thought it was over but Castiel reached out and laid his hand against his forehead. Dean felt fire flowing through his veins. He wanted to scream but no noise would come out. Looking to Castiel's face, a second later all he saw was bright white and something suddenly snapped.

* * *

"Bobby, what the hell is going on?"

"Hell if I know."

After being supernaturally locked out of the house, Bobby and Sam were relegated to the far end of the salvage yard until there was an all-clear signal that was, at the very least, reliable. Sam was just about to ask what time it was when there was the loud bang of an explosion straight ahead, followed by blinding white light. Bobby and Sam both ducked down and waited for the blast wave to abate. Sam was the first to turn back and he couldn't help but gasp.

Bobby's house was...gone.

"Ughhh..."

Sam turned and, lying on top of a nearby Chevy were Dean and Jody. Jody was the one making all of the noise but Dean slowly sat up and rubbed a hand against his back in confusion. A back that was curiously devoid of black, leathery wings.

"Dean?" Sam spoke, coming forward slowly.

Dean opened his eyes and Sam felt his heart skip a beat because his brother's eyes were normal. Not neon, not monstery - one hundred percent human. But in all of this, the explosion and the sudden appearance of his brother and friend, where was Castiel?

Sam looked back at the destroyed house and frowned.

* * *

He landed in the middle of a field among blackened grass and bodies. It took Castiel a second to realize that the charred grass was in the shape of the wings of his brethren and it filled him with great sadness. How long have his siblings been lying here in this disgraced state?

"Castiel?"

Castiel turned and, lying on his stomach among the bodies and bleeding from a cut on his forehead, was Samandriel. He ran towards his brother and laid a hand against his cheek, healing him.

"Is there anyone else?"

Samandriel swallowed and nodded. "There was a melee but Balthazar and few others were able to escape. I don't, I don't know to where..."

"It is fine."

"No, Cas - we've got to... we've got to -"

"Rest, brother."

"We have to help the humans, Castiel."

"And we will -"

"Help the humans?" a voice asked from behind. Castiel stood and turned, protecting Samandriel from Raphael who stood far too close for his liking.

"That has to be one of the funniest things I have ever heard."

"We were supposed to protect the humans, Raphael," Castiel said. "To love them as our Father wished."

Raphael raised an eyebrow. "You're still going on about God? I told you Castiel, _he's dead_."

"No. No Raphael because I am proof that he still cares about us, all of us. He would not approve of you and yours aligning yourselves with one of the very creature he locked away at the beginning of days -"

"The one that I believe your meddling released?"

"Yes, and I have seen the error of my ways. Things could have become so much worse had I been able to open Purgatory but that never came to pass. Eve's plague still ravages the planet but there is still one thing that she cannot have foreseen."

"And what is that?"

"The sheer will of the human soul. There are many still on earth, working their hardest to protect their families, their friends. People they have never met in their lives that come from different paths and pasts and they are willing to keep whatever humanity they have. That, dear Brother, is something that cannot be defeated."

"Enough of this - I should have killed you when I had the chance."

Raphael's angel blade appeared in her hand and she raised it above her head.

"Samandriel, go."

"But Castiel..."

"Go and find Balthazar. I will come to you when I have finished here."

Samandriel vanished and Castiel faced Raphael.

"What is the matter, brother?" Raphael asked, "No blade?"

"I do not need a blade to fight you, Raphael. Let's go."


	27. Bounty Hunting

The Archangel and the Firebird circled around each other, neither one willing to take their eyes off of the other first. The deceased bodies of their fallen brethren lay spread out below them and they avoided stepping on their remains as a silent means of respect.

Raphael was the first to strike. With her blade hand extended, she ran towards Castiel and aimed directly for his throat. Easily Castiel was able to dodge the attack by taking flight and reappearing all the way on the other end of heaven.

"Boo," Raphael suddenly whispered from behind and Castiel barely managed to escape the blade a second time before he extended his own hand and shot a wave of fire from his left palm.

Raphael dodged and aimed to strike a third time. Castiel dropped and knocked Raphael right off of her feet with a well-placed kick to the ankles. Her blade skidded away and she attempted to reach for it but Castiel batted her hand away. Castiel raised his own hand and a red metal angel blade suddenly appeared in his palm. It was the most beautiful weapon Raphael had ever seen.

"I thought you said no blade?" Raphael asked while eyeing the piece.

"I lied."

Castiel took the blade into both of his hands and with all of his strength forced it straight through Raphael's neck. There was silence for a moment before the light of the Archangel's grace flooded all of the corners of heaven, causing Castiel to subconsciously shut his eyes for his own protection. A lingering human response. When the light was gone and all was silent, he opened his eyes and climbed off of the angel with the beautiful blade still in his hand. Now it was his turn to properly see it. It really was very beautiful.

He looked down to wipe the dirty blade against his knee and willed the sword away for the moment.

"One down," he said while eyeing heaven one more time.

* * *

A white-clothed servant knocked on his Mother's door tentatively and waited.

"Come in."

He walked inside and Eve was standing by her window once again, looking outside at all of the plants and whatever her children were seeing and describing to her as they walked about this still beautiful planet.

"Mother, everything is prepared. We have what you requested."

"Beautiful, Carlos. I will be down shortly."

Her son bowed and left and, once again alone, Eve fixed the creases on her long white dress. She looked out of the window and began to speak aloud.

"My children," she said to their ears, "I have a very special mission for each and every one of you. There is a creature known as the Firebird that wishes to destroy me. He is a threat to your mother and as my children I know you will do everything within your power to protect me. He goes by the name of Castiel and this is what he looks like."

Eve psychically transmitted an image of the being to all of her children and they understood and made plans for when he was spotted.

"Anyone who brings me his body will be handsomely rewarded. Do me proud. I love you all."

Eve nodded to herself and left the room, walking down the long flight of stairs deep below the building until she reached the holding cells where the three of them were being kept.

"Welcome back my former children," Eve said, walking into the room.

On three separate tables, each of them tied down and their weapons removed from their persons were of course Dean, Sam, and Bobby.

"You're not going to get away with this. Cas'll find us," Sam said while trying to look up.

"You let us out right now you bitch!" Dean spat as he struggled.

"Such language towards your mother!" Eve said aghast before she began to laugh.

"Why're we here?" Bobby asked. "What's your endgame?"

"Well," Eve said, walking before them, "While Castiel is distracted and dealing with that winged dick upstairs, I was able to grab the only three beings in existence that mean a damn to him because do you want to know a little secret?"

"What? You're going to kill us the second Cas shows up. We're bait," Sam said, still struggling.

Eve's smile was worse than feral. It was downright grotesque on her youthful face. Sam felt a shiver down his spine and he looked to his brother who currently attempted to put up a brave face. Dean had been human again for less than a day and already he was being again held against his will in a strange place.

But, really, wasn't that their lives?

* * *

Castiel looked around the deserted and dusty land that surrounded Bobby Singer's home and turned to see several human volunteers attempting to put out the fire that destroyed the main house. He could sense they were non-monstrous. It appeared as though he, Bobby and Jody weren't the only humans in the area.

"I am sorry about your home Bobby," Castiel said before he turned to a noise. It sounded like someone gasping. Castiel walked towards the sound and, lying face up on the roof of a hot car with their hands and legs tied and spread, was Jody. Quickly Castiel rescued and healed her before she could suffer for longer.

"Jody, please tell me what happened?"

Jody took a few more breaths in and out before answering. "Some of Eve's goons showed up in the yard. The boys did whatever they could but..."

"But?" Castiel asked.

Jody sighed. "They got them and took off."

"I will have to go after them then..."

"Wait a minute." Jody put her hand against his shoulder and he looked her in the eye. "Eve sent out a message to everyone."

Castiel squinted. "A message?"

"I don't really know how I heard it but - you've got a bounty on your head. Every single one of Eve's creatures is going to be after you because she promised a reward for your death. I'm so sorry Castiel."

Jody reached up and wrapped her arms around him, giving him what might possibly be a tight motherly embrace. He enjoyed it for the second in which it lasted.

"Return to your home now Jody and wait for our return," Castiel said while pulling away. He tapped her against the forehead and she was gone from his side.

Standing and facing up to the sky, Castiel looked one last time around the yard, shut his eyes and a second later he was gone without a trace.

* * *

He reappeared four blocks away from Eve's compound in an empty alleyway. The coast was shockingly clear. Keeping a careful eye on his surroundings, Castiel stepped out into the street and then took off in a run.

Crowds of creatures swarmed around him by the hundreds, everyone wanting a taste of his blood and his body to bring home to Eve.

Somehow he managed to outrun everyone and he stopped at the stairs to raise his hands above his head. They began to glow with that beautiful white light again. He lowered them and a shockwave shot through the crowd, causing everyone to fall back and down.

With everyone distracted, Castiel ran up the steps and again into the building that Eve called her home. When he was through the doors and inside of the building, he took a moment to lean his back against the door and breathe.

This had been such a long day.

Collecting himself and focusing, Castiel walked, keeping his ears open for any sounds that would lead him to his family. The whole building was eerily empty this time around. He looked into the rooms as he passed by them and not a single one held any creatures or servants. Castiel just reached the end of the hallway when he heard something. Footsteps - a few feet behind him. He was being followed. Steeling himself, Castiel turned and froze.


	28. Sacrifice

"Dean?"

"Cas," Dean said as he breathed out.

Dean grabbed him and pulled him closer, into a tight, warm hug. Castiel reciprocated it and then quickly pulled away.

"Dean, you're...you're _you_ ," he said with wonderment.

Dean smiled while looking down and then up again. "Yeah, all thanks to you and your mojo."

Now Castiel couldn't help but smile himself. "Yes, I suppose you are right. For the longest time I didn't even believe that I would be able to." He sighed and shook his head before finally asking, "Now I have to ask you a very important question - what are you doing here in Eve's hideout once again, my friend?"

"He's here," a new voice joined in, "because I brought him and all of your little friends to visit while you were busily taking care of a common…. rival."

Dean and Castiel watched in silence as Eve walked down the long hall flanked by Sam and Bobby on her sides. Together, Bobby, Sam and Dean all stood surrounding Castiel on all sides so he would be unable to make a run for the door.

"I'm so sorry Cas," Dean said regretfully.

Castiel frowned and nodded in acceptance. "I know you are. All of you."

The four of them locked eyes as understanding passed silently among the group.

"Well, go ahead. You have to do what you have to do, Castiel," Bobby said slowly and with great reluctance.

"Well then I am truly sorry but this must be done," Castiel said, reaching out his hand, "And please, sleep well my friends."

In under a second Castiel reached out his hands and touched both Sam and Bobby, causing them to fall into a deep and dreamless sleep. He turned to do the same for Dean but there was a sudden squelching noise and blood began dribbling out from Dean's mouth as he fell down hard onto his knees.

"Dean!" Castiel shouted, falling to his friend's side to catch him because out of nowhere there was a sharp, ancient looking knife embedded deep in the center of Dean's chest.

"Oh Castiel, look at that," Eve taunted from behind, "Looks like you can't save everyone."

Castiel laid his hand on Dean's cheek but it wasn't working. He wasn't healing.

"Oops, looks like I turned off your powers again. Sorry about that."

Growling deep in his throat, Castiel laid Dean down and stood to his full human height to face the monstrous, heartless Eve.

"You have done far too much damage to this planet and for that you must pay severely by leaving it once and for all time!"

Castiel felt concentrated heat warm up his whole body like he had been standing in the center of the sun itself but remained unharmed. His powers were not as blocked as she believed them to be and Eve bit back a gasp and then quickly rebounded with a smirk.

"Catch me if you can, _Feathers_."

And she was gone again, but Castiel knew he could find her. The warmth wrapped around him like a warm blanket and he focused his mind totally on finding Eve. Castiel vanished in a beam of bright golden light and reappeared in the dense forest of Garrison, Montana – the same where he had first laid eyes upon Sam. He turned in a small circle and sensed for Eve. His wings unfurled from the warmth that they were protecting him in and if he had taken the time to look he would be able to see a twenty foot wingspan of fire. A fire that caused no harm to the trees surrounding him because he did not wish for his fire to do so.

"I know you are here, Eve. I followed you to this exact location," his voice intoned.

A nearby voice replied, "Yes, you did. I'm actually a little surprised."

Castiel turned to find Eve standing directly behind him, totally out of place in her long white dress against the filthy and greyish forest that encircled them.

"You have become a truly magnificent creature, Castiel," she said moving a few steps closer to him. With a laugh, she said conversationally, "I haven't seen a Firebird in the flesh in well over a millennium."

She sauntered closer to him but still stood too far away for him to reach out and touch. Castiel took a step closer and she took one step back.

"Are you afraid of me, Eve?" Castiel asked, coming towards her again. Again she moved just a single step away.

Castiel took one more step and leathery, bat-like wings exploded from out of Eve's back. She took flight into the skies like she was born for it. He watched her go and a second later took to the skies himself, flying like a missile towards a target. Eve looked back just as he slammed into her, grabbing her by the arms and shooting down again to the forest floor below. They landed and created a giant crater that they were in the very center of. Castiel straddled her beneath him and she looked at him with angry, shining, catlike yellow eyes.

"I am the _Mother_ of this planet. I recreated this lonely speck in my image and no creature such as your pitiful self will take it away from me!" she snarled as she raised a clawed hand in order to attack.

Without blinking or looking away from her face, Castiel grabbed the hand and felt heat ignite from within him. It felt like it was running through his very veins. Eve's skin began to prickle beneath his palm and when he raised his other hand, the red blade appeared once more.

"Sweet dreams – _Mother of All."_

The blade was metal one second and as he was lowering it down just before striking, it was entirely made up of golden, red fire. He pierced the blade straight through Eve's chest and quickly moved out of the way. Eve screeched and lit up once again as she died, trying to claw at him but it was too late for her.

Her body disintegrated into ashes and the only thing left standing was the blade, hilt deep in the ground. It was finished.

Castiel suddenly felt eyes watching him and he stood and turned. Balthazar, Samandriel plus an entire legion of angels were surrounding the area.

"Well done, Brother," Balthazar said, stepping forward and, reaching out his hands, grabbed Castiel by the cheeks of his face and kissed him before Castiel was able to pull away.

"Thank you," Castiel said while wiping his mouth and turned to Samandriel who gave him a smile.

"I reached him in time, Cas," the younger angel said and Castiel smiled, gripping him tightly on the shoulder.

"So, it is really finished?" Castiel asked.

"Well, almost," Balthazar said as he looked up to the sky and then looked his brother in the eye. His confused and supercharged, once a mere seraph, brother.

"Almost?" Castiel repeated.

"Well," Balthazar said as he stepped away, putting his hands behind his back and walking a short distance towards a tree, "There is one more important part of the ancient prophesy I neglected to mention to you before now."

"How important?" Castiel asked.

"The Firebird (that being you) must give up their power to heal the affected," Samandriel said.

Castiel was stunned and slightly frightened. "I-I...will this kill me?"

Balthazar and Samandriel shared a look.

"We don't know," Balthazar finally said truthfully.

Castiel nodded and turned away, putting his hand under his chin. This might really be it this time. All of this time and trying to find his place, all of it might soon be gone to him.

Turning back, he asked, "May I just do one last thing before I heal the planet?"

"Of course. You have the con, brother."

"Thank you," Castiel said lightly before vanishing.

* * *

Sam was slowly beginning to wake up. It took him a minute to remember what had happened - Eve wanted to kill Castiel. Again. Thankfully the Firebird easily overpowered them and took them out before anything truly horrible could happen.

"Bobby? Dean?" Sam croaked.

"Sam?"

Sam turned and Bobby was also coming to awareness. He sat up and looked across the room to see Dean lying flat on his back surrounded by red and something was protruding from his chest. Wait. Red? No...

"Dean?" Sam tried again, crawling to his brother and touching him with a gentle hand, feeling for a pulse.

There was no point. Dean was dead, stabbed and lying in a pool of his blood. Bobby appeared on his other side and sighed wetly. This couldn't be happening. What had happened? Bobby put his head into his hand and began to cry when the sounds of many wings filled the room. Sam looked up to see a blood splattered and singed Castiel standing by Dean's feet.

"Cas..." Sam said and moved away.

Castiel nodded and took his friend's place, placing one hand against Dean's cheek and quickly removing the small dagger. A few seconds later, Dean's chest rose and fell with several deep breaths. Dean gasped and sat up, looking around.

"What happened?"

"You were dead and I brought you back again once more," Castiel answered before standing.

Everyone else remained seated on the floor and before any of them could ask what had happened to Eve, Castiel was already gone, leaving behind a blood red feather in his wake.

* * *

He reappeared in the forest, his many brethren surrounding him in a large circle. For the first time in his life, Castiel felt completely underdressed compared to his family, wearing nothing but a blue plaid shirt over a black tee-shirt, jeans and sneakers instead of boots or dress shoes. Underdressed, but totally himself.

"Are you ready to begin, Cas?" Balthazar asked.

"Ready," Castiel said, punctuated with a nod.

As one, the angels began to sing the praises of the cleansing ritual. Castiel joined them and began to glow with his inner light. His soul and his grace. His sneakered feet left the ground and he rose into the air, raising his hands, chanting along with them. He felt his body burning from the inside out. It was horrible and wonderful and he raised his head up to see a wall of fire cover the sky. The chanting rose in volume and the ground shook beneath the angels' feet.

When everything was over and Castiel's light faded away, he fell from the sky and Balthazar caught him before he could hit the ground. He laid his brother down and gave him a kiss on the forehead.

"Thank you brother," he said, "you have done enough and it is time for you to return home."

He placed a hand to Castiel's head and the body vanished.


	29. New Beginning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who read this story. Enjoy the ending. :)

Dean turned away from the window and looked at his brother and mentor with his mouth open in a small 'o' shape.

"Eyes back on the road, son. You're the one that said you had to drive," Bobby said and, a little reluctantly, Dean returned to his driving.

"Alright but tell me I'm not the only one who just saw that? _What_ was that?"

"No," Sam said, turning his head up and frowning to himself, "I'm pretty sure everyone _everywhere_ could see a wall of fire raining down from the sky."

Currently, the brothers and Bobby were driving down an empty highway in a stolen truck on their way back to Sioux Falls having absolutely no idea what was going on and where in the hell Castiel had disappeared off to. He just brought Dean back to life and _poof_ was gone. Again, like always.

"It's going to be a long drive boys," Bobby said, "Better get comfy before we go about summoning the boy's ass."

* * *

Almost fourteen hours later, they finally pulled up in front of what remained of the salvage yard. It was now basically reduced to just a roofless shack with half melted vehicles in the near distance and then more piles of cars further away.

"Should we fan out and start looking for supplies? Cas could be anywhere by now," Dean asked.

Bobby nodded and walked towards the front door. "Sounds like a pretty good idea to - Jody?"

"What?" both brothers asked at once and turned.

Jody exited the front door and ran to Bobby, wrapping her arms around his neck and giving him a kiss that he readily reciprocated. Dean and Sam awkwardly looked at each other and waited for whatever moment this was to pass in silence.

"Boys," she said as she pulled away, "you're going to want to come inside. Someone's waiting for you."

Dean ran right past her and when he entered the crumbling building, he couldn't help but look up since the roof and ceiling were gone and only sky and passing clouds were visible overhead. Coming back to himself, he walked into the area where Bobby's den more or less used to be and, sitting on top of the singed and blackened chair behind the large desk and also studying the sky was Castiel. He was awake but he also looked incredibly exhausted. More so than Dean had ever seen him look before.

"Cas..?"

Castiel turned and smiled at him. "Hello, Dean," he said as his friend drew nearer.

Dean couldn't stop himself as he lifted Castiel from the seat and hugged him tightly. After a moment, Castiel followed suit, wrapping his own arms around Dean and giving him a quick squeeze, each glad that the other was still alive. When Dean let go of him, he fell back into the seat with a groan and shut his eyes for a minute to collect himself and his strength.

"Cas, you're alive," Sam said as he entered the room, followed by Bobby and Jody.

"I am."

"Then maybe you can explain what that fire show was yesterday," Bobby asked, crossing his arms against his chest.

Castiel swallowed and nodded. "The final act of the prophecy was to rescue the souls of the ravaged planet from the disease Eve set upon it. Herself."

No one said anything for a minute; everyone just stared at him. Castiel chuckled, knowing who was going to speak first.

"And in English please?" Dean asked.

"The Firebird needed to heal the planet at great personal cost but with one great reward," Castiel said with shining eyes. "No more monsters."

"No...None?" Sam asked incredulous.

"None. Everyone is back to the way they were originally created and those who did not survive, those too foregone are sadly now denizens of Purgatory."

"And the cost?" Bobby asked.

Here Castiel sighed. "My grace, my place in heaven - I had to give it up. I am not an angel anymore. Again."

"So, you're human," Dean said.

"No," Castiel said, almost shyly, "I have instead become a new race of species, the likes of which have never been seen on this planet nor any other before and will do everything within my power to destroy you all, one at a time."

More silence met that statement.

"You're joking right?" Sam asked.

Castiel scoffed. "Yes, of course I am joking. Maybe."

"Maybe, he says," Dean said with a groan.

Bobby sighed, looking around his ravaged home. There was a lot of work that was going to be needed to be done in the coming days. The coming weeks.

"Let me help you," Sam said and he helped Castiel back onto to his feet, holding him upright with his arm wrapped around Castiel's waist.

"Thank you, Sam."

"Why don't you boys come by my place," Jody offered. "It's getting late and tomorrow you can start going through everything salvageable."

"Well, as long as you're offering," Bobby said and, side by side, they walked out.

Dean joined Sam and Cas and he put his own arm around Castiel's shoulders. Together, the three of them walked with their heads held high, a mission done well and tomorrow looking very bright as a new beginning dawned just beyond the horizon.

* * *

And then a week later, after some much needed recuperation they were chasing after a rogue demon for the first time in so long. Together.

Dean drove, Sam rode shotgun and Castiel lounged in the backseat, his eyes staring ahead at the new addition to the front end of the rediscovered and thoroughly repaired '67 Impala. Hanging attached to the rearview mirror from a string was the single, blood red feather of the former Firebird's beautiful wings. Castiel told the others that he could feel something special emanating from that one feather. Dean and Sam trusted him at his words because why not? Cas would know, better than anyone.

The windows were turned down, the wind was in their hair and everything was the way it should be once again.


End file.
